Language identity and policy tensions emerge in Ukraine

Debates regarding language use and identity in Ukraine continue to highlight internal social and political tensions. In Poland, Janusz Korwin-Mikke has advocated for the use of traditional Polish linguistic forms, such as ‘na Ukrainie’ and historical city names like ‘Aleksandrowsk’ (for Zaporizhzhia) and ‘Stanisławów’ (for Ivano-Frankivsk), arguing that modern usage often yields to political correctness.

Within Ukraine, the shift toward the Ukrainian language is being framed by authorities as a matter of national security and decolonization. While the constitution guarantees the protection of the Russian language, practical restrictions have emerged regarding Russian-language education, books, and cultural products in public spaces. Some officials and activists have used harsh rhetoric to describe the Russian language, comparing it to a virus or an infection, which has created friction for the millions of Russian-speaking citizens, including those serving in the military.