View source for Russian language in Ukraine

{{Short description|none}}
{{Update|date=January 2023}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2017}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2017}}
[[File:Meeting in Kharkov.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Members of a [[Russophone]] association supporting the 2006 decision of the [[Kharkiv City Council]] to make the Russian language official at local level.]]
[[File:Russian as 2nd national language - Campaign poster for Party of the Regions - Crimea 2012.JPG|thumb|[[Party of Regions]] [[2012 Ukrainian parliamentary election|2012 parliamentary election]] campaign poster in [[Crimea]] stating "Russian: (upgrade it) from a regional language to the second official (state) language"]]
[[Russian language|Russian]] is the most common [[first language]] in the [[Donbas]] and [[Crimea]] regions of [[Ukraine]] and the city of [[Kharkiv]], and the predominant language in large cities in the [[East Ukraine|eastern]] and [[South Ukraine|southern portions]] of the country.<ref name=RiUHR1>{{cite book|last1= Bilaniuk|first1= Laada|author2= Svitlana Melnyk|editor= Aneta Pavlenko|editor-link= Aneta Pavlenko|title= Multilingualism in Post-Soviet Countries|chapter-url= https://books.google.com/books?id=WO_I4d612fMC&pg=PA85|year= 2008|publisher= Multilingual Matters|isbn= 978-1-84769-087-6|page= 85|chapter= A Tense and Shifting Balance: Bilingualism and Education in Ukraine|access-date= November 25, 2015|archive-date= May 8, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160508130654/https://books.google.com/books?id=WO_I4d612fMC&pg=PA85|url-status= live}}</ref>{{update inline|date=January 2025}} The usage and status of the language is the subject of political disputes. [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] is the country's sole state language since the adoption of the [[Constitution of Ukraine|1996 Constitution]], which prohibits an official bilingual system at state level but also guarantees the free development, use and protection of Russian and other languages of national minorities.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |date=2019-06-11 |title=Ukrainians and their language. The Act on the State Language of Ukraine |url=https://www.osw.waw.pl/en/publikacje/osw-commentary/2019-06-11/ukrainians-and-their-language-act-state-language-ukraine |access-date=2022-04-21 |website=OSW Centre for Eastern Studies |language=en}}</ref> In 2017 a new ''Law on Education'' was passed which restricted the use of Russian as a language of instruction.<ref name=":1" /> Nevertheless, Russian remains a widely used language in Ukraine in pop culture and in informal and [[commerce|business]] communication.<ref name=RiUHR1/>

==History of the Russian language in Ukraine==
{{Main|History of the Russian language in Ukraine}}
The East Slavic languages originated in the language spoken in [[Rus (region)|Rus]] in the [[Middle Ages|medieval period]]. Significant differences in spoken language in different regions began after the division of the Rus lands between the [[Golden Horde]] (from about 1240) and the [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]]. The Lithuanian state eventually allied with the [[Crown of the Kingdom of Poland|Kingdom of Poland]] in the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] of 1569–1795. [[Grand Duchy of Moscow|Muscovites]] under the Golden Horde developed what became the modern [[Russian language]]; people in the northern Lithuanian sector developed [[Belarusian language|Belarusian]], and in the southern Polish sector [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]].

The ethnonym "Ukrainian" for the south-eastern Slavic people did not become well-established until the 19th century, although English-speakers (for example) called those peoples' land "Ukraine" in English from before the 18th century (the [[Oxford English Dictionary]] traces the word "Ukrainian" in English back as far as 1804, and records its application to the Ukrainian language from 1886<ref>{{oed | Ukrainian}}</ref>). The western part of the country, [[Austrian Galicia]], [[Bukovina]], and [[Carpathian Ruthenia]], was generally known in German, French and English as "[[Ruthenia]]", and the people as "Ruthenians."<ref name="Magocsi2010">{{cite book |last=Magocsi |first=Paul R. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TA1zVKTTsXUC&pg=PA73 |title=A History of Ukraine: The Land and Its Peoples |publisher=University of Toronto Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-1-4426-1021-7 |page=73 |author-link=Paul Robert Magocsi |access-date=14 February 2017}}</ref> The Russian imperial centre, however, preferred the names "Little" and "White" Russias for the Ukrainian and [[Belarus]]ian lands respectively, as distinct from [[Great Russia]].

No definitive geographical border separated people speaking Russian and those speaking Ukrainian – rather gradual shifts in vocabulary and pronunciation marked the areas between the historical cores of the languages.

Although [[Goriuns]] resided in the [[Putyvl]] region (in present-day [[northern Ukraine]]) in the times of [[Grand Duchy of Lithuania]] or perhaps even earlier,<ref name="conf">F.D. Klimchuk, About ethnolinguistic history of [[Pridnestrovie|Left Bank of Dnieper]] (in connection to the ethnogenesis of Goriuns). Published in "Goriuns: history, language, culture", Proceedings of International Scientific Conference, (Institute of Linguistics, Russian Academy of Sciences, February 13, 2004)</ref><ref name="kongr">{{cite web|url= http://www.kngu.org/KongrUkr/Communit/ObzhRuss.htm|title= Russians in Ukraine|access-date= December 28, 2017|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070519054819/http://www.kngu.org/KongrUkr/Communit/ObzhRuss.htm|archive-date= May 19, 2007|df= mdy-all}}</ref> the Russian language mostly came through the migration of ethnic [[Russians]] to Ukraine and through the adoption of the Russian language by [[Ukrainians]] during the [[Russification of Ukraine]].{{citation needed|date= March 2022}}

===Russian settlers===
The first new waves of Russian settlers onto what is now Ukrainian territory came in the late-16th century to the empty lands of [[Slobozhanshchyna]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.kngu.org/KongrUkr/Communit/ObzhRuss.htm|title= Russians in Ukraine|access-date= June 12, 2022|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070519054819/http://www.kngu.org/KongrUkr/Communit/ObzhRuss.htm|archive-date= May 19, 2007|df= mdy-all | quote =Найбільші етнічні масиви росіян в Україні з'явилися в XV – XVII ст.. на Слобожанщині та в останній чверті XVIII ст. }}</ref> (in the region of [[Kharkiv]]) that [[Tsardom of Russia|Russia]] had gained from the [[Golden Horde|Tatars]],<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pages%5CS%5CL%5CSlobidskaUkraine.htm|title= Slobidska Ukraine|website= www.encyclopediaofukraine.com|access-date= June 12, 2022 |archive-date= December 29, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171229112250/http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pages%5CS%5CL%5CSlobidskaUkraine.htm|url-status= live | quote = In the early 16th century [Slobidska Ukraine] came under the control of Muscovy. At that time it was essentially an expanse of wild steppe through which Tatars passed during their raids into Muscovy—usually along the Murava Road or along the Izium Road and the Kalmiius Road. }}</ref> or from the Grand Duchy of Lithuania{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} - although Ukrainian peasants from the Polish-Lithuanian west escaping harsh exploitative conditions outnumbered them.<ref name=autogenerated1>{{cite web|url= http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pages%5CS%5CL%5CSlobidskaUkraine.htm|title= Slobidska Ukraine|website= www.encyclopediaofukraine.com|access-date= December 28, 2017|archive-date= December 29, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171229112250/http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pages%5CS%5CL%5CSlobidskaUkraine.htm|url-status= live | quote = From the later 16th century there were two contending streams of colonizers in Slobidska Ukraine: from the north came Muscovite service personnel for the construction of defense lines and fortifications (against invaders from the Crimea to the south as well as the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth to the southwest); from the west came Ukrainian agricultural settlers. Some of the latter group were attracted specifically by the resources of the region, and others simply sought to escape the increasingly harsh conditions under Polish rule. There were also some refugees to Slobidska Ukraine and the Don region from exploitative landowners in Muscovy. The Ukrainian migration, however, was much larger than the two sources of Russian colonization.}}</ref>

More [[Russian speakers]] appeared in the northern, central and eastern territories of modern Ukraine during the late-17th century, following the [[Khmelnytsky Uprising|Cossack Rebellion]] (1648–1657) which [[Bohdan Khmelnytsky]] led against Poland. The Khmelnytsky Uprising led to a massive movement of Ukrainian settlers to the Slobozhanshchyna region,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pages%5CS%5CL%5CSlobidskaUkraine.htm|title= Slobidska Ukraine|website= www.encyclopediaofukraine.com|access-date= June 12, 2022|archive-date= December 29, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171229112250/http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pages%5CS%5CL%5CSlobidskaUkraine.htm|url-status= live | quote = Migration increased as a result of the Khmelnytsky uprising [...] particularly after the Treaty of Bila Tserkva in 1651.}}</ref> which converted it from a sparsely inhabited frontier area to one of the major populated regions of the [[Tsardom of Russia]].{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} Following the [[Pereyaslav Rada]] of 1654 the northern and eastern parts of present-day Ukraine came under the hegemony of the Russian Tsardom. This brought the first significant, but still small, wave of Russian settlers into central Ukraine (primarily several thousand soldiers stationed in garrisons,<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pages%5CS%5CL%5CSlobidskaUkraine.htm|title= Slobidska Ukraine|website= www.encyclopediaofukraine.com|access-date= June 12, 2022 |archive-date= December 29, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171229112250/http://www.encyclopediaofukraine.com/display.asp?AddButton=pages%5CS%5CL%5CSlobidskaUkraine.htm|url-status= live}}</ref>{{qn|date=June 2022}} out of a population of approximately 1.2 million<ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=HNIs9O3EmtQC&pg=PA149|title= Ukraine: A History|first= Orest|last= Subtelny|date= December 28, 2017|publisher= University of Toronto Press|isbn= 9780802083906|access-date= December 28, 2017|via= Google Books|archive-date= April 30, 2016|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160430132914/https://books.google.com/books?id=HNIs9O3EmtQC&pg=PA149|url-status= live}}</ref> non-Russians). Although the number of Russian settlers in Ukraine prior to the 18th century remained small, the local upper-classes within the part of Ukraine acquired by Russia came to use the Russian language widely.

Beginning in the late 18th century, large numbers of Russians (as well as of Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks and of other [[Christians]] and [[Jews]]) settled in newly acquired lands in what is now southern Ukraine, a region then known as [[Novorossiya]] ("New Russia"). These lands – previously known as the [[Wild Fields]] – had been sparsely populated prior to the 18th century due to the threat of [[Crimean Khanate|Crimean-Tatar]] raids, but once Saint Petersburg had eliminated the Tatar state as a threat, Russian nobles were granted large tracts of fertile land for working by newly arrived peasants, most of them ethnic Ukrainians but many of them  Russians.<ref>
{{cite web |url= http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-30071/Ukraine#404474.hook |title= Ukraine - History, Geography, People, & Language |website= britannica.com |access-date= June 26, 2007|archive-date= November 14, 2007|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071114092740/http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-30071/Ukraine#404474.hook|url-status= live}}</ref>

===Settlement in the 19th century===
[[File:Dialektologicheskaia Karta 1914 goda.jpeg|thumbnail|right|Dialects map of the Russian Language. [[Saint Petersburg Academy of Sciences|Russian Imperial Academy of Sciences]], 1914. {{legend|#b3ff80|[[Ukrainian language|Little Russian]] (Ukrainian)}}{{legend|#fec82c|[[Russian language|Great Russian]] (Russian)}}{{legend|#e6ccb3|[[Belarusian language|White Russian]] (Belarusian)}}]]
The 19th century saw a dramatic increase in the urban Russian population in present-day Ukraine, as ethnic Russian settlers moved into and populated the newly industrialised and growing towns.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}  At the beginning of the 20th century the Russians formed the largest ethnic group in almost all large cities within Ukraine's modern borders, including  [[Kyiv]] (54.2%), Kharkiv (63.1%), [[Odesa]] (49.09%), [[Mykolaiv]] (66.33%), [[Mariupol]] (63.22%), [[Luhansk]], (68.16%), [[Kherson]] (47.21%), [[Melitopol]] (42.8%), [[Dnipro|Ekaterinoslav]], (41.78%), [[Kropyvnytskyi]] (34.64%), [[Simferopol]] (45.64%), [[Yalta]] (66.17%), [[Kerch]] (57.8%), [[Sevastopol]] (63.46%).<ref name="dnistr 342">Дністрянський М.С. Етнополітична географія України. Лівів Літопис, видавництво ЛНУ імені Івана Франка, 2006, page 342 {{ISBN|966-7007-60-X}}</ref> The Ukrainian migrants who settled in these cities entered a Russian-speaking milieu (particularly with Russian-speaking administration) and needed to adopt the Russian language.

===Suppression and fostering of the Ukrainian language===
{{main|Russification of Ukraine}} 
The [[Russian Empire]] promoted the [[Russification|spread of the Russian language]] among the native Ukrainian population, actively refusing to acknowledge the existence of a Ukrainian language.

Alarmed by the threat of [[Ukrainian nationalism|Ukrainian separatism]] (in its turn influenced by the 1863 [[January Uprising|demands of Polish nationalists]]), the [[List of Ministers of Interior of Imperial Russia|Russian Minister of Internal Affairs]] [[Pyotr Valuev]] in 1863 issued a [[Valuev Circular|secret decree]] that banned the publication of religious texts and educational texts written in the Ukrainian language<ref name="Miller">{{cite book| author= Miller, Alexei | title= The Ukrainian Question. The Russian Empire and Nationalism in the Nineteenth Century | location= Budapest-New York | publisher = Central European University Press | year = 203 | isbn = 963-9241-60-1 }}</ref> as non-grammatical, but allowed all other texts, including fiction. The Emperor [[Alexander II of Russia|Alexander II]] in 1876 expanded this ban by issuing the [[Ems Ukaz]] (which lapsed in 1905). The Ukaz banned all Ukrainian-language books and song-lyrics, as well as the importation of such works. Furthermore, Ukrainian-language public performances, plays, and lectures were forbidden.<ref name=Magosci>{{cite book| author= Magoscy, R. | title= A History of Ukraine| location = Toronto | publisher = University of Toronto Press | year = 1996}}</ref> In 1881 the decree was amended by [[Alexander III of Russia|Alexander III]] to allow the publishing of lyrics and dictionaries, and the performances of some plays in the Ukrainian language with local officials' approval.<ref>{{harvnb|Grenoble|2003|p=83}}: "Tsar Alexander III softened the proclamation somewhat in 1881, authorizing limited use of Ukrainian in theaters with special permission, and allowing the printing of Ukrainian dictionaries,
provided that they used Russian Cyrillic."</ref> Ukrainian-only troupes were, however, forbidden. Approximately 9% of the population{{which|date=February 2020}} spoke Russian at the time of the [[Russian Empire Census]] of 1897, as opposed to 44.31% of the total population of the Empire.<ref>{{cite web|script-title= ru:Первая всеобщая перепись населения Российской Империи 1897 г. Распределение населения по родному языку, губерниям и областям|url= http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_lan_97.php|publisher= Demoscope Weekly|access-date= 1 February 2020|language= ru|archive-date= February 4, 2012|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120204034344/http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/rus_lan_97.php|url-status= live}}</ref>

In 1918 the Soviet [[Council of People's Commissars]] decreed that nationalities under their control had the right to education in their own language.<ref>{{cite book | last1 = Anderson | first1 = Barbara A. | last2 = Silver | first2 = Brian D. | year = 1992 | chapter = Equality, Efficiency, and Politics in Soviet Bilingual Education Policy, 1934-1980 | editor1-last = Denber | editor1-first = Rachel | title = The Soviet Nationality Reader: The Disintegration In Context | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=hf7EDwAAQBAJ | location = New York | publisher = Routledge | publication-date = 2018 | page = 358| isbn = 9780429964381| access-date = 1 February 2020| quote = In 1918 a rule was introduced by the Council of People's Commissars that called for the establishment of native-language schools for national minorities whenever there were at least 25 pupils at a given grade level who spoke that language [...].| archive-date = April 30, 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210430225930/https://books.google.com/books?id=hf7EDwAAQBAJ| url-status = live}}</ref>
Thus Ukrainians in the [[Soviet era]] were entitled to study and learn in the Ukrainian language. During the Soviet times, the attitude to Ukrainian language and culture went through periods of promotion (policy of "[[korenization]]", {{circa | 1923}} to {{circa | 1933}}), suppression (during the subsequent period of [[Stalinism]]), and renewed [[Ukrainization]] (notably in the epoch of [[Khrushchev]], {{circa | 1953}} to 1964). Ukrainian cultural organizations, such as theatres or the [[National Writers' Union of Ukraine|Writers' Union]], were funded by the central administration.{{which|date=February 2020}} 

The issue of the Russification of Ukraine and [[linguistic discrimination]] of Ukrainian speakers during the Soviet era was studied by the Ukrainian Soviet dissident [[Ivan Dziuba]] in his work "[[Internationalism or Russification?]]".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Свобода |first=Радіо |date=2008-02-05 |title=«Інтернаціоналізм чи русифікація?» в долі України і долях людей |url=https://www.radiosvoboda.org/a/948838.html |access-date=2024-01-25 |work=Радіо Свобода |language=uk}}</ref> While officially there was no [[state language]] in the Soviet Union until 1990, Russian in practice had an implicitly privileged position as the only language widely spoken across the country. In 1990 Russian became legally the official all-Union language of the [[Soviet Union]], with constituent republics having rights to declare their own official languages.<ref>{{harvnb|Grenoble|2003|p=83}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://legal-ussr.narod.ru/data01/tex10935.htm|title= СССР. ЗАКОН СССР ОТ 24.04.1990 О ЯЗЫКАХ НАРОДОВ СССР|website= legal-ussr.narod.ru|access-date= December 28, 2017|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160508201331/http://legal-ussr.narod.ru/data01/tex10935.htm|archive-date= May 8, 2016|df= mdy-all}}</ref> The Ukrainian language, despite official encouragement and government funding,{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} like other regional languages, was often frowned upon or quietly discouraged, which led to a gradual decline in its usage.<ref>{{harvnb|Grenoble|2003|p=83}}: "Although the use of Ukrainian was permitted in Austrian Ukraine, it was largely prohibited both in Transcarpathia, and in Russian Ukraine[...] [I]ts use in any official capacity was forbidden. [...] Since Ukrainian was prohibited in education and in all official capacities, [...] the educated classes spoke Russian[...] Shevelov reports that even peasants were ashamed of speaking Ukrainian and used as much Russian as possible."</ref>

===Ukrainization in modern Ukraine===
{{main|Ukrainization}} {{see also|Language policy in Ukraine|Law of Ukraine "On protecting the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language"|Russian book ban in Ukraine|Derussification in Ukraine}}
Since the [[Euromaidan]] of 2013–2014, the Ukrainian government has issued several laws aimed at encouraging Ukrainization in the media, in education and in other spheres.

In February 2017, the Ukrainian government banned the commercial importation of books from Russia, which had accounted for up to 60% of all titles sold in Ukraine.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/14/ukraine-publishers-speak-out-against-ban-on-russian-books |title=Ukraine publishers speak out against ban on Russian books |first=Danuta |last=Kean |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 February 2017 |quote=Ukrainian publishers have reacted angrily to their government's ban on importing books from Russia, claiming it will create a black market and damage the domestic industry. [...] Books from Russia account for up to 60% of all titles sold in Ukraine and are estimated to make up 100,000 sales a year. |access-date=1 February 2019 |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215121309/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/14/ukraine-publishers-speak-out-against-ban-on-russian-books |url-status=live }}</ref>

On May 23, 2017, [[Ukrainization#Mass media|the Ukrainian parliament approved the law]] that most broadcast content should be in Ukrainian (75% of national carriers and 50% of local carriers).

[[Ukrainization#2017 law "On Education"|The 2017 law on education]] provides that Ukrainian language is the language of education at all levels except for one or more subjects that are allowed to be taught in two or more languages, namely [[English language|English]] or one of the other [[official languages of the European Union]] (i.e. excluding Russian).<ref name=law>[http://zakon2.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2145-19/page Про освіту] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214235416/https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2145-19/page |date=February 14, 2021 }} | від 05.09.2017 № 2145-VIII (Сторінка 1 з 7)</ref> The law does state that persons belonging to the [[indigenous peoples of Ukraine]] are guaranteed the right to study at public pre-school institutes and primary schools in "the language of instruction of the respective indigenous people, along with the state language of instruction" in separate classes or groups.<ref name=law/>{{Relevance inline|date=March 2023|reason=Indigenous peoples in Ukrainian law does not include Russians}} The [[Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe]] (PACE) has expressed concern with this measure and with the lack of "real consultation" with the representatives of national minorities.<ref name=PACE>{{cite web|url= http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/Xref-XML2HTML-EN.asp?fileid=24218&lang=en|title= PACE - Resolution 2189 (2017) - The new Ukrainian law on education: a major impediment to the teaching of national minorities' mother tongues|website= assembly.coe.int|quote= The Parliamentary Assembly is concerned about the articles relating to education in minority languages of the new Education Act adopted on 5 September 2017 by the Verkhovna Rada (Ukrainian Parliament) and signed on 27 September 2017 by the Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko. [...] The Assembly deplores the fact that there was no real consultation with representatives of national minorities in Ukraine on the new version of Article 7 of the act adopted by the Verkhovna Rada.|access-date= 1 February 2020|archive-date= October 13, 2017|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171013224625/http://assembly.coe.int/nw/xml/XRef/Xref-XML2HTML-EN.asp?fileid=24218&lang=en|url-status= live}}</ref> In July 2018, The [[Mykolaiv]] [[Okrug]] Administrative Court liquidated the status of Russian as a regional language, on the suit (bringing to the norms of the national legislation due to the recognition of the law [[Language policy in Ukraine|"On the principles of the state language policy"]] by the [[Constitutional Court of Ukraine]] as unconstitutional) of the First Deputy Prosecutor of the [[Mykolaiv Oblast]].<ref>{{cite press release |title= 31.07.2018 |language= uk |url= https://myk.gp.gov.ua/ua/news.html?_m=publications&_c=view&_t=rec&id=234068 |access-date= 2018-07-31 |department= Prosecutor's Office of [[Mykolaiv Oblast]] |archive-date= August 1, 2018 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20180801003651/https://myk.gp.gov.ua/ua/news.html?_m=publications&_c=view&_t=rec&id=234068 |url-status= live }}</ref> In October and December 2018, parliaments of the city of [[Kherson]] and of [[Kharkiv Oblast]] also abolished the status of the Russian language as a regional one.<ref>{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2018/12/13/7201193/ In the Kharkiv region abolished the regional status of the Russian language - a deputy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181213212813/https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2018/12/13/7201193/ |date=December 13, 2018 }}, [[Ukrayinska Pravda]] (13 December 2018).</ref>

[[Law of Ukraine "On protecting the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language"|The 2019 language law]] made Ukrainian mandatory in a number of spheres of public life.

In 2019 the law [[Law of Ukraine "On protecting the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language"|"On supporting the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the State language"]] made the use of Ukrainian compulsory (totally or within quotas) in more than 30 spheres of public life, including public administration, electoral process, education, science, culture, media, economic and social life, health and care institutions, and activities of political parties.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 May 2019 |title=Кому варто боятися закону про мову? |trans-title=Who should be afraid of the language law? |url=http://language-policy.info/2019/05/komu-varto-boyatysya-zakonu-pro-movu/ |website=language-policy.info}}</ref><ref name=":12">[[Venice Commission|European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission)]], [https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/?pdf=CDL-AD(2019)032-e Ukraine - Opinion on the Law on Supporting the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language], adopted by the Venice Commission at its 121st Plenary Session (Venice, 6–7 December 2019), CDL-AD(2019)032.</ref> The [[Venice Commission]] and [[Human Rights Watch]] expressed concern about the 2019 law's failure to protect the language rights of Ukrainian minorities.<ref name=":12" /><ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=2022-01-19 |title=New Language Requirement Raises Concerns in Ukraine |url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2022/01/19/new-language-requirement-raises-concerns-ukraine |access-date=2022-03-29 |website=Human Rights Watch |language=en}}</ref> 

The 2019 law did not regulate private communication nor ban the use of [[Russian language]] in the country, contrary to what some online claims created by Russia have asserted.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Uribe |first=Maria Ramirez |title=No, the Russian language was not banned from Ukraine |url=https://www.politifact.com/factchecks/2022/jun/08/sergey-lavrov/russian-has-not-been-banned-ukraine-despite-repeat/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=@politifact |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-06-04 |title=Ukrainians did not ban the Russian language, but established Ukrainian for official use |url=https://antidisinfo.net/ukrainians-did-not-ban-the-russian-language-but-established-ukrainian-for-official-use/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Antidisinfo |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-09-18 |title=Russian disinformation about the Ukrainian conflict since 2014: fact-checking and recurring patterns |url=https://aspeniaonline.it/russian-disinformation-about-the-ukrainian-conflict-since-2014-fact-checking-and-recurring-patterns/ |access-date=2025-06-17 |website=Aspenia Online |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 2021 {{ill|Dnipropetrovsk District Administrative Court|uk|Дніпропетровський окружний адміністративний суд}} cancelled the regional language status of Russian in the [[Dnipropetrovsk Oblast]].<ref>{{in lang|uk}} [https://www.ukrinform.ua/rubric-regions/3304094-sud-skasuvav-regionalnij-status-rosijskoi-u-dnipropetrovskij-oblasti.html Court cancels regional status of Russian in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast], [[Ukrinform]]</ref>

In January 2022, a law requiring all print media to be published in Ukrainian came into force. It did not ban publication in Russian; however, it stipulated that a Ukrainian version of equivalent circulation and scope must be published – which is not a profitable option for publishers. Critics argue that the law could disenfranchise the country's Russian-speakers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Language Law For National Print Media Comes Into Force In Ukraine |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-language-law-russian/31656441.html |access-date=17 January 2022 |agency=RFERL |date=January 16, 2022 |archive-date=January 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220117102237/https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-language-law-russian/31656441.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Since February 2022, the beginning of [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russian invasion]], the everyday usage of Russian language in Ukraine is notably decreased from 33% in 2021 to 23% in 2022.<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Culture and Language in Ukraine: Changes in Public Opinion after a Year of the Full-Scale War |url=https://dif.org.ua/en/article/national-culture-and-language-in-ukraine-changes-in-public-opinion-after-a-year-of-the-full-scale-war |access-date=2023-04-30 |website=dif.org.ua |language=en}}</ref>

==Usage statistics==
[[File:Ukraine census 2001 Russian.svg|thumb|right|300px|Percentage of people with Russian as their native language according to 2001 census (in regions).]]
[[File:Russianlang2001ua.PNG|thumb|300px|Map of people who declare Russian as their native language for each district or city (in circles)<br />(according to [[Ukrainian Census (2001)|2001 census]])]]
[[File:UkraineNativeLanguagesCensus2001detailed-en.png|thumb|300px|Map of majority declared native language by city, town or village council according to [[Ukrainian Census (2001)|2001 census]]]]
There is a large difference between the numbers of people who report their native language as Russian and people who use Russian as their everyday [[lingua franca|communication language]]. The percentage of Russian-speaking citizens is significantly higher in cities than in rural areas across the whole country.

===2001 Census===
According to official data from the [[Ukrainian Census (2001)|2001 Ukrainian census]], the Russian language was native for 29.6% of Ukraine's population (about 14.3 million people).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://2001.ukrcensus.gov.ua/eng/results/general/|title=Results / General results of the census|access-date=March 15, 2017|work=[[Ukrainian Census (2001)|2001 Ukrainian Census]]|archive-date=April 22, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170422204315/http://2001.ukrcensus.gov.ua/eng/results/general/|url-status=live}}</ref> Ethnic [[Russians]] formed 56% of the total Russian-native-language population, while the remainder were people of other ethnic background: 5,545,000 [[Ukrainians]], 172,000 [[Belarusians]], 86,000 [[Jews]], 81,000 [[Greeks]], 62,000 [[Bulgarians]], 46,000 [[Moldovans]], 43,000 [[Tatars]], 43,000 [[Armenians]], 22,000 [[Polish people|Poles]], 21,000 [[Germans]], 15,000 [[Crimean Tatars]].

===Polls===
According to data obtained by the "Public Opinion" foundation in 2002, the population of the [[oblast]] centres preferred to use Russian (75%).<ref>{{cite web |title=Евразийская панорама |url=http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2002/059/panorama01.php#13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205005226/http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2002/059/panorama01.php#13 |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |access-date=December 28, 2017 |website=www.demoscope.ru}}</ref> Continuous Russian linguistic areas occupied certain regions of Crimea, Donbas, [[Slobozhanshchyna|former Sloboda Ukraine]], southern parts of Odesa and Zaporizhzhia oblasts, while Russian linguistic enclaves exist in central and northern Ukraine.{{Cn|date=July 2023}}

According to a 2004 public opinion poll by the [[Kyiv International Institute of Sociology]], the number of people using Russian language in their homes considerably exceeded the number of those who declared Russian as their native language in the census. <!-- the source in the next passage -->According to the survey, Russian is used at home by 43–46% of the population of the country (in other words a similar proportion to Ukrainian) and Russophones made a majority of the population in Eastern and Southern regions of Ukraine:<ref>{{cite web |title=Portrait of Yushchenko and Yanukovych electorates |url=http://www.analitik.org.ua/researches/archives/3dee44d0/41ecef0cad01e/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403101945/http://www.analitik.org.ua/researches/archives/3dee44d0/41ecef0cad01e/ |archive-date=April 3, 2015 |access-date=March 7, 2007 |work=Analitik |language=ru |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

* [[Crimea|Autonomous Republic of Crimea]] — 77% of the population
* [[Dnipropetrovsk Oblast]] — 32%
* [[Donetsk Oblast]] — 74.9%
* [[Luhansk Oblast]] — 68.8%
* [[Zaporizhzhia Oblast]] — 48.2%
* [[Odesa Oblast]] — 41.9%
* [[Kharkiv Oblast]] — 44.3%
* [[Mykolaiv Oblast]] — 29.3%
According to July 2012 polling by [[Sociological group "RATING"|RATING]], 50% of the surveyed adult residents over 18 years of age considered their native language to be Ukrainian, 29% said Russian, 20% identified both Russian and Ukrainian as their native language, 1% gave another language.<ref name="RatingJuly12" /> 5% could not decide which language is their native one.<ref name="RatingJuly12">[http://ratinggroup.com.ua/en/products/politic/data/entry/14004/ The language question, the results of recent research in 2012] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150709203803/http://ratinggroup.com.ua/en/products/politic/data/entry/14004/ |date=July 9, 2015 }}, [[Sociological group "RATING"|RATING]] (25 May 2012)</ref> Almost 80% of respondents stated they did not have any problems using their native language in 2011.<ref name="RatingJuly12" /> 8% stated they had experienced difficulty in the execution (understanding) of official documents; mostly middle-aged and elderly people in [[South Ukraine]] and the [[Donbas]].<ref name="RatingJuly12" />

Russian language dominates in informal communication in the capital of Ukraine, Kyiv.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ji.lviv.ua/n35texts/masenko-mov_syt.htm|title=Лариса Масенко|website=www.ji.lviv.ua|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=December 18, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171218184622/http://www.ji.lviv.ua/n35texts/masenko-mov_syt.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.korrespondent.net/main/print/148750 |title=Byurkhovetskiy: Klichko - ne sornyak i ne buryan, i emu nuzhno vyrasti |access-date=March 7, 2007 |work=[[Korrespondent]] |language=ru |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929100024/http://www.korrespondent.net/main/print/148750 |archive-date=September 29, 2007 |df=mdy-all }}</ref> It is also used by a sizeable linguistic minority (4-5% of the total population) in Central and Western Ukraine.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2002/059/panorama01.php#13 |title=In Ukraine there are more Russian language speakers than Ukrainian ones |access-date=March 7, 2007 |work=Evraziyskaya panorama |language=ru |archive-date=February 5, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205005226/http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2002/059/panorama01.php#13 |url-status=live }}</ref>  83% of Ukrainians responding to a 2008 Gallup poll preferred to use Russian instead of Ukrainian to take the survey.<ref>{{cite news |title=Russian Language Enjoying a Boost in Post-Soviet States |last=Gradirovski |first=Sergei |author2=Neli Esipova |date=1 August 2008 |access-date=2 May 2014 |url=http://www.gallup.com/poll/109228/russian-language-enjoying-boost-postsoviet-states.aspx |archive-date=May 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100518073110/http://www.gallup.com/poll/109228/Russian-Language-Enjoying-Boost-PostSoviet-States.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>

According to the survey carried out by [[Sociological group "RATING"|RATING]] in August 2023 in the territory controlled by Ukraine and among the refugees, almost 60% of the polled usually speak Ukrainian at home, about 30% – Ukrainian and Russian, only 9% – Russian. Since March 2022, the use of Russian in everyday life has been noticeably decreasing. For 82% of respondents, Ukrainian is their mother tongue, and for 16%, Russian is their mother tongue. [[Internally displaced person|IDPs]] and [[Ukrainian refugee crisis (2022–present)|refugees living abroad]] are more likely to use both languages for communication or speak Russian. Nevertheless, more than 70% of IDPs and refugees consider Ukrainian to be their native language.<ref>[https://ratinggroup.ua/files/ratinggroup/reg_files/rating_independence_august_2023.pdf Соціологічне дослідження до Дня Незалежності УЯВЛЕННЯ ПРО ПАТРІОТИЗМ ТА МАЙБУТНЄ УКРАЇНИ]</ref>


{| class="wikitable"
 |+ Native language (according to annual surveys by the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences):<ref name=autogenerated2>{{cite web|url=http://dif.org.ua/modules/pages/files/us5.pdf/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070313220156/http://dif.org.ua/modules/pages/files/us5.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2007 |title=Ukrainian society 1994-2005: sociological monitoring |access-date=April 10, 2007 |work=dif.org.ua/ |language=uk}}</ref>
 |
 !1994
 !1995
 !1996
 !1997
 !1998
 !1999
 !2000
 !2001
 !2002
 !2003
 !2004
 !2005
 |-
! class="bright" | Russian language
|class="bright"|34.7
|class="bright"|37.8
|class="bright"|36.1
|class="bright"|35.1
|class="bright"|36.5
|class="bright"|36.1
|class="bright"|35.1
|class="bright"|38.1
|class="bright"|34.5
|class="bright"|38.1
|class="bright"|35.7
|class="bright"|34.1
 |}

{| class="wikitable"
 |+ Spoken language in family (at home) (according to annual surveys by the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences)<ref name=autogenerated2 />
 |
 !1994
 !1995
 !1996
 !1997
 !1998
 !1999
 !2000
 !2001
 !2002
 !2003
 !2004
 !2005
 |-
! class="bright" | Mainly Russian
|class="bright"|32.4
|class="bright"|32.8
|class="bright"|33.1
|class="bright"|34.5
|class="bright"|33.4
|class="bright"|33.6
|class="bright"|36.0
|class="bright"|36.7
|class="bright"|33.2
|class="bright"|36.0
|class="bright"|34.3
|class="bright"|36.4
 |-
! class="highlight" | Both Russian and Ukrainian
|class="highlight"|29.4
|class="highlight"|34.5
|class="highlight"|29.6
|class="highlight"|26.8
|class="highlight"|28.4
|class="highlight"|29.0
|class="highlight"|24.8
|class="highlight"|25.8
|class="highlight"|28.0
|class="highlight"|25.2
|class="highlight"|26.3
|class="highlight"|21.6
 |}

==Russian language in Ukrainian politics==
{{see also|Legislation on languages in Ukraine}}
[[File:IspeakRussian.jpg|thumb|right|270px|Russophone activists collect signatures in support of introducing the Russian language as regional in [[Odesa]], 2007]]
The Russian language in Ukraine is recognized (along with all other languages) as the "language of a national minority". Ukrainian is the only state language; every other language is declared to be the "language of a national minority" in the [[Constitution of Ukraine]] adopted by the parliament in 1996, but only Russian is explicitly named. Article 10 of the Constitution reads: ''"In Ukraine, the free development, use and protection of Russian, and other languages of national minorities of Ukraine, is guaranteed''".<ref name=Constitution>[http://www.rada.gov.ua/const/conengl.htm#r1 Article 10] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521190059/http://www.rada.gov.ua/const/conengl.htm |date=May 21, 2011 }} of the Constitution says: "The state language of Ukraine is the Ukrainian language. The State ensures the comprehensive development and functioning of the Ukrainian language in all spheres of social life throughout the entire territory of Ukraine. In Ukraine, the free development, use and protection of Russian, and other languages of national minorities of Ukraine, is guaranteed."</ref> The Constitution declares Ukrainian language as the state language of the country, while other languages spoken in Ukraine are guaranteed constitutional protection, but are not in practice protected from book bans. The Ukrainian language was adopted as the state language by the Law on Languages adopted in [[Ukrainian SSR]] in 1989; Russian was specified as the language of communication with the other republics of [[Soviet Union]].<ref name=LoL>[http://www.minelres.lv/NationalLegislation/Ukraine/Ukraine_Language_English.htm On Languages in the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic. Law. 1989] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101212153/http://www.minelres.lv/NationalLegislation/Ukraine/Ukraine_Language_English.htm |date=November 1, 2020 }} (in English)</ref> Ukraine signed the [[European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages]] in 1996, but it was only partially ratified, and only in 2002 by the [[Verkhovna Rada|Parliament]]<ref name="koles">{{cite web|url=http://www.from-ua.com/politics/e62743796b72a.html|title=В.Колесниченко. "Европейская хартия региональных языков или языков меньшинств. Отчет о ее выполнении в Украине, а также о ситуации с правами языковых меньшинств и проявлениями расизма и нетерпимости"|website=www.from-ua.com|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=March 30, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330055032/http://www.from-ua.com/politics/e62743796b72a.html|url-status=live}}</ref>{{Clarify|date=September 2022}}

The issue of Russian receiving the status of second official language has been the subject of extended controversial discussion ever since Ukraine became independent in 1991. In every Ukrainian election, many politicians, such as former president [[Leonid Kuchma]], were elected by Ukrainians after making Russian language rights a key part of their platform. Former [[President of Ukraine]], [[Viktor Yanukovych]] continued this practice when he was opposition leader. In an interview with [[Kommersant]], during the [[2010 Ukrainian presidential election]]-campaign, he stated that the status of Russian in Ukraine "is too politicized" and said that if elected president in 2010, he would "have a real opportunity to adopt a law on languages, which implements the requirements of the [[European Charter of regional languages]]". He implied this law would need 226 votes in the [[Ukrainian parliament]] (50% of the votes instead of the 75% of the votes needed to change the [[constitution of Ukraine]]).<ref>{{in lang|ru}} [http://www.kommersant.ua/doc.html?docId=1289144 "Доверия к Тимошенко у меня нет и быть не может"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091214040317/http://www.kommersant.ua/doc.html?docId=1289144 |date=December 14, 2009 }}, [[Kommersant]] (December 9, 2009)</ref> After his early 2010 election as president, Yanukovych stated (on March 9, 2010) "Ukraine will continue to promote the Ukrainian language as its only state language".<ref>[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/61283/ Yanukovych: Ukraine will not have second state language] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605060236/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/61283/ |date=June 5, 2011 }}, [[Kyiv Post]] (March 9, 2010)</ref> At the same time, he stressed that it also necessary to develop other regional languages.<ref>[http://podrobnosti.ua/power/2010/03/09/670765.html Янукович: Русский язык не будет вторым государственным ] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100902060254/http://podrobnosti.ua/power/2010/03/09/670765.html|date=September 2, 2010}}, [[Подробности]] (March 9, 2010 13:10)</ref>

In 1994, a referendum took place in the [[Donetsk Oblast]] and the [[Luhansk Oblast]], with around 90% supporting the Russian language gaining status of an official language alongside [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]], and for the Russian language to be an official language on a regional level, but it was ignored by Parliament.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thekievtimes.ua/society/372400-donbass-zabytyj-referendum-1994.html|title=Донбасс: забытый референдум-1994|date=May 12, 2014|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=February 5, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210205101718/http://thekievtimes.ua/society/372400-donbass-zabytyj-referendum-1994.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nakanune.ru/articles/18807/|title=Киев уже 20 лет обманывает Донбасс: Донецкая и Луганская области еще в 1994 году проголосовали за федерализацию, русский язык и евразийскую интеграцию|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=January 11, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180111192917/http://www.nakanune.ru/articles/18807|url-status=live}}</ref>

Former president [[Viktor Yushchenko]], during his [[2004 Ukrainian presidential election|2004 Presidential campaign]], also claimed a willingness to introduce more equality for Russian speakers. His [[clipping service]] spread an announcement of his promise to make Russian language proficiency obligatory for officials who interact with Russian-speaking citizens.<ref>{{cite web
 |author      = Clipping service of Viktor Yuschenko
 |url         = http://www.yuschenko.com.ua/rus/Future/decrees/1318/
 |title       = Yuschenko guarantee equal rights for Russian and other minority languages - Decree project
 |access-date  = April 10, 2007
 |date        = 18 October 2004
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928042009/http://www.yuschenko.com.ua/rus/Future/decrees/1318/
 |archive-date = September 28, 2007
 |url-status     = dead
 |df          = mdy-all
}}</ref> In 2005 Yushchenko stated that he had never signed this decree project.<ref>{{cite web
 | author = Lenta.ru
 | url = http://lenta.ru/news/2005/07/18/mvd/
 | title = Yuschenko appealed to Foreign Office to forget Russian language
 | access-date = April 10, 2007
 | date = 18 July 2005
 | archive-date = March 19, 2012
 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120319161912/http://lenta.ru/news/2005/07/18/mvd/
 | url-status = live
 }}</ref> The controversy was seen by some as a deliberate policy of [[Ukrainization]].<ref>An interview with Prof. Lara Sinelnikova, [http://www.nr2.ru/interview/06/09/19/ Русский язык на Украине – проблема государственной безопасности] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512104445/http://www.nr2.ru/interview/06/09/19/|date=May 12, 2013}}, ''[[Novyi Region]]'', 19.09.06</ref><ref>Tatyana Krynitsyna, [http://www.pr.kharkov.ua/n_print.php?id=111 Два языка - один народ]{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}, Kharkiv Branch of the [[Party of Regions]], 09.12.2005</ref>

In 2006, the Kharkiv City Rada was the first to declare Russian to be a regional language.<ref>http://pravopys.vlada.kiev.ua/index.php?id=487{{Dead link|date=February 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Following that, almost all southern and eastern oblasts ([[Luhansk Oblast|Luhansk]], Donetsk, [[Mykolaiv Oblast|Mykolaiv]], [[Kharkiv Oblast|Kharkiv]], [[Zaporizhzhia Oblast|Zaporizhzhia]], and [[Kherson Oblast|Kherson]] oblasts), and many major southern and eastern cities ([[Sevastopol]], [[Dnipropetrovsk]], [[Donetsk]], [[Yalta]], [[Luhansk]], [[Zaporizhzhia]], [[Kryvyi Rih]], [[Odesa]]) followed suit. Several courts overturned the decision to change the status of the Russian language in the cities of Kryvyi Rih, Kherson, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv while in Donetsk, Mykolaiv and Kharkiv oblasts it was retained.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newsru.com/world/06apr2007/katsapskamovavodesse.html |title=Russian language in Odesa is acknowledged as the second official government language ... |access-date=March 7, 2007 |work=Newsru.com |language=ru |archive-date=May 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200525193628/https://www.newsru.com/world/06apr2007/katsapskamovavodesse.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In August 2012, a law on regional languages entitled any local language spoken by at least a 10% minority to be declared official within that area.<ref name=Aug12RLiU>[http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/yanukovych-signs-language-bill-into-law-311230.html Yanukovych signs language bill into law] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160106072352/http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/yanukovych-signs-language-bill-into-law-311230.html |date=January 6, 2016 }}. Retrieved 2012-09-07.</ref> Russian was within weeks declared as a regional language in several southern and eastern oblasts and cities.<ref>[http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/russian-spreads-like-wildfires-in-dry-ukrainian-forest-311949.html Russian spreads like wildfires in dry Ukrainian forest] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908195920/http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/russian-spreads-like-wildfires-in-dry-ukrainian-forest-311949.html |date=September 8, 2014 }}. Retrieved 2012-09-07.</ref> On 23 February 2014, a bill repealing the law was approved by 232 deputies out of 450<ref>{{cite web |url=http://lenta.ru/news/2014/02/23/language/ |title=На Украине отменили закон о региональном статусе русского языка |publisher=Lenta.ru |access-date=2014-02-23 |archive-date=December 1, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201194141/http://lenta.ru/news/2014/02/23/language/ |url-status=live }}</ref> but not signed into law by acting-president [[Oleksandr Turchynov]].<ref name=itar301>{{cite web|url=http://en.itar-tass.com/world/721537|title=Ukraine's parliament-appointed acting president says language law to stay effective|date=2014-03-01|publisher=[[ITAR-TASS]]|access-date=March 6, 2014|archive-date=August 12, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812233816/http://en.itar-tass.com/world/721537|url-status=live}}</ref> On 28 February 2018, the [[Constitutional Court of Ukraine]] ruled on the matter.<ref name ="dKSU10ZZ117">[https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/2412584-constitutional-court-declares-unconstitutional-language-law-of-kivalovkolesnichenko.html Constitutional Court declares unconstitutional language law of Kivalov-Kolesnichenko] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627033949/https://www.ukrinform.net/rubric-polytics/2412584-constitutional-court-declares-unconstitutional-language-law-of-kivalovkolesnichenko.html |date=June 27, 2018 }}, [[Ukrinform]] (28 February 2018)</ref>

In December 2016, the importation of "anti-Ukrainian" books from Russia was restricted. In February 2017 the Ukrainian government completely banned the commercial importation of books from Russia, which had accounted for up to 60% of all titles sold.<ref name=guardian-20170214>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/14/ukraine-publishers-speak-out-against-ban-on-russian-books |title=Ukraine publishers speak out against ban on Russian books |first=Danuta |last=Kean |newspaper=The Guardian |date=14 February 2017 |access-date=11 March 2017 |archive-date=December 15, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181215121309/https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/feb/14/ukraine-publishers-speak-out-against-ban-on-russian-books |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Surveys on the status of the Russian language===
{| class="wikitable" style="float:right;margin:0 0 1em 1em;"
 |+ Do you consider it necessary to make Russian an official language in Ukraine? (according to annual surveys by the Institute of Sociology of the National Academy of Sciences):<ref name=autogenerated2 />
 |
 !1995
 !1996
 !1997
 !1998
 !1999
 !2000
 !2001
 !2002
 !2003
 !2004
 !2005
 |-
! class="bright" |Yes
| class="bright" | 52.0
| class="bright" | 50.9
| class="bright" | 43.9
| class="bright" | 47.6
| class="bright" | 46.7
| class="bright" | 44.0
| class="bright" | 47.4
| class="bright" | 48.6
| class="bright" | 47.3
| class="bright" | 47.5
| class="bright" | 48.6
 |-
 !Hard to say
 |15.3
 |16.1
 |20.6
 |15.3
 |18.1
 |19.3
 |16.2
 |20.0
 |20.4
 |20.0
 |16.8
 |-
 !No
 |32.6
 |32.9
 |35.5
 |37.0
 |35.1
 |36.2
 |36.0
 |31.1
 |31.9
 |32.2
 |34.4
 |-
 !No answer
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[[File:RussianUseEn.PNG|thumb|right|250px|Usage of the Russian language in Ukraine by region (2003).]]

According to a survey by the Research and Branding Group (June 2006), the majority of respondents supported the decisions of local authorities: 52% largely supported (including 69% of population of eastern oblasts and 56% of southern regions), 34% largely did not support the decisions, 9% – answered "partially support and partially not", 5% had no opinion.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ura-inform.com/ru/print/politics/2006/07/17/resultati_oproso|title=Русскому языку — да, НАТО — нет, — говорят результаты социсследований - Новости|website=www.ura-inform.com|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=April 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080414100427/http://www.ura-inform.com/ru/print/politics/2006/07/17/resultati_oproso|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to an all-Ukrainian poll carried out in February 2008 by "Ukrainian Democratic Circle" 15% of those polled said that the language issue should be immediately solved,<ref>[http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-302319.html 80% of Ukrainians do not consider language issue a top-priority] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304062803/http://www.unian.net/eng/news/news-302319.html |date=March 4, 2016 }}, [[UNIAN]] (23 February 2009)</ref> in November 2009 this was 14.7%; in the November 2009 poll 35.8% wanted both the Russian and Ukrainian language to be state languages.<ref>[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/53566/ Poll: more than half of Ukrainians do not consider language issue pressing] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217051129/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/53566/ |date=February 17, 2011 }}, [[Kyiv Post]] (November 25, 2009)</ref>

According to polling by [[Sociological group "RATING"|RATING]], the level of support for granting Russian the status of a state language decreased (from 54% to 46%) and the number of opponents increased (from 40% to 45%) between 2009 and May 2012;<ref name="RatingJuly12"/> in July 2012 41% of respondents supported granting Russian the status of a state language and 51% opposed it.<ref name=RatingJuly12/> (In July 2012) among the biggest supporters of bilingualism were residents of the Donets Basin (85%), [[South Ukraine]] (72%) and [[East Ukraine]] (50%).<ref name=RatingJuly12/> A further poll conducted by RATING in September–October 2012 found 51% opposed granting official status to the Russian language, whereas 41% supported it. The largest regions of support were Donbas (75%), southern (72%) and eastern (53%), whereas nearly 70% of northern and central Ukraine, and 90% of western Ukraine were in opposition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/poll-over-half-of-ukrainians-against-granting-official-status-to-russian-language-318212.html|title=Poll: Over half of Ukrainians against granting official status to Russian language - Dec. 27, 2012|date=December 27, 2012|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=September 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140908192629/https://www.kyivpost.com/content/ukraine/poll-over-half-of-ukrainians-against-granting-official-status-to-russian-language-318212.html|url-status=live}}</ref> A survey conducted in February 2015 by the [[Kyiv International Institute of Sociology]] found that support for Russian as a state language had dropped to 19% (37% in the south, 31% in Donbas and other eastern oblasts).<ref name=KIIS150410/> 52% (West: 44%, Central: 57%; South: 43%; East: 61%) said that Russian should be official only in regions where the majority wanted it and 21% said it should be removed from official use.<ref name=KIIS150410>{{cite news |url= http://kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=517&page=1 |script-title= uk:Ставлення до статусу російської мови в Україні |language= uk |trans-title= Views on the status of the Russian language in Ukraine |work= [[Kyiv International Institute of Sociology]] |date= 10 April 2015 |access-date= April 12, 2015 |archive-date= April 12, 2015 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150412005530/http://kiis.com.ua/?lang=ukr&cat=reports&id=517&page=1 |url-status= live }}</ref>

A poll conducted in March 2022 by [[Sociological group "RATING"|RATING]] in the territory controlled by Ukraine found that 83% of the respondents believe that Ukrainian should be the only state language of Ukraine. This opinion dominates in all macro-regions, age and language groups. On the other hand, before the war, almost a quarter of Ukrainians were in favour of granting Russian the status of the state language, while today only 7% support it. In peacetime, Russian was traditionally supported by residents of the south and east. But even in these regions, only a third of them were in favour, and after [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russia's full-scale invasion]], their number dropped by almost half.<ref>{{cite web |title=Шосте загальнонаціональне опитування: мовне питання в Україні (19 березня 2022) |url=https://ratinggroup.ua/research/ukraine/language_issue_in_ukraine_march_19th_2022.html |access-date=27 August 2023 |language=uk}}</ref>

===Other surveys===
The Russo-Ukrainian director of the Kyiv branch of the {{ill|Institute of the CIS Countries|ru|Институт_стран_СНГ}}, {{ill|Vladimir Vladimirovich Kornilov|ru|Корнилов, Владимир Владимирович}}, presented the results of a poll carried out by the [[Research & Branding Group]] in late 2006. As reported by the Russian-language [[REGNUM News Agency]], it found that "68% of Ukrainians are fluent in Russian and 57% are fluent in Ukrainian."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://regnum.ru/news/749712.html|title=Украинцы лучше владеют русским языком, чем украинским: соцопрос|date=December 4, 2006|access-date=March 18, 2022|archive-date=December 14, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061214002731/https://regnum.ru/news/749712.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Although a census conducted in Ukrainian showed that Russian speakers comprise about 30% (2001 census), 39% of Ukrainians interviewed in a 2006 survey believed that the rights of Russophones were violated<ref>According to parliamentary deputy [[Vadym Kolesnichenko]], the official policies of the Ukrainian state are discriminatory towards the Russian-speaking population. The Russian speaking population received 12 times less state funding than the tiny Romanian-speaking population in 2005-2006. Education in Russian is nearly nonexistent in all central and western oblasts and Kyiv. The Russian language is no longer in higher education in all Ukraine, including areas with a Russian-speaking majority. The broadcasting in Russian averaged 11.6% (TV) and 3.5% (radio) in 2005{{citation needed|date=July 2016}}. Kolesnichenko is a member of [[Party of Regions]] with majority of electorate in eastern and south Russian-speaking regions.</ref> because the Russian language is not official in the country, whereas 38% had the opposite position.<ref name=autogenerated3>{{cite web|url=http://www.podrobnosti.ua/society/2006/12/04/373924.html|title=Большинство украинцев говорят на русском языке|date=December 4, 2006|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714081528/http://podrobnosti.ua/society/2006/12/04/373924.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=autogenerated4>{{cite web|url=http://www.regnum.ru/news/749712.html|title=Украинцы лучше владеют русским языком, чем украинским: соцопрос|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=December 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229112213/https://regnum.ru/news/749712.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to a poll carried out by the [[National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy#Research|Social Research Center]] at the [[National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy]] in late 2009 ideological issues were ranked third (15%) as reasons to organize mass protest actions (in particular, the issues of joining NATO, the status of the Russian language, the activities of left- and right-wing political groups, etc.); behind economic issues (25%) and problems of ownership (17%).<ref>[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/54377/ Poll: economic issues and problems of ownership main reasons for public protests] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110209024311/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/54377/ |date=February 9, 2011 }}, [[Kyiv Post]] (December 4, 2009)</ref> According to a March 2010 survey, forced Ukrainization and Russian language suppression are of concern to 4.8% of the population.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://life.pravda.com.ua/problem/4bc31444820e5/ |title=Українізація та мовне питання турбують українців найменше - опитування &#124; Українська правда _Життя |access-date=2010-04-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414143601/http://life.pravda.com.ua/problem/4bc31444820e5/ |archive-date=April 14, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

According to 2016-2017 polls by the [[Kyiv International Institute of Sociology]], [[Rating (sociological group)|Rating]], and [[GfK|GfK Ukraine]], about 1% of respondents across the country, and fewer than 3% of respondents in eastern parts of Ukraine, found the status of the Russian language to be an important political issue. The same 2017 polls indicated 64% support for state policies favoring the usage of the Ukrainian language.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2018-03-12 |title=The Truth Behind Ukraine's Language Policy |url=https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/ukrainealert/the-truth-behind-ukraine-s-language-policy/ |website=Atlantic Council |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Use of Russian in specific spheres==

===Russian literature of Ukraine===
[[File:H. L. Oldie.jpg|thumbnail|270px|[[H. L. Oldie|Oleg Ladyzhensky and Dmitry Gromov]], two Russophone Ukrainian co-authors, were named Europe's best science fiction writers in 2006 by [[European Science Fiction Society|ESFS]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://esfs.info/esfs-awards/2000-2009/|title=2000 – 2009|date=May 26, 2013|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=November 25, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125215739/https://esfs.info/esfs-awards/2000-2009/|url-status=live}}</ref> ]]
Historically, many famous writers of Russian literature were born and lived in Ukraine. [[Nikolai Gogol]] is probably the most famous example of shared Russo-Ukrainian heritage: Ukrainian by descent, he wrote in Russian, and significantly contributed to culture of both nations. Russian author [[Mikhail Bulgakov]] was born in [[Kyiv]], as well as poet [[Ilya Erenburg]]. A number of notable Russian writers and poets hailed from [[Odesa]], including [[Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov]], [[Anna Akhmatova]], [[Isaak Babel]]. Russian child poet [[Nika Turbina]] was born in [[Yalta]], Crimea.

A significant number of contemporary authors from Ukraine write in Russian.<ref name="pentacle">{{cite book |last1=Oldie |first1=H.L. |last2=Dyachenko |first2=Marina and Sergey |last3=Valentinov |first3=Andrey|year=2005 |script-title=ru:Пять авторов в поисках ответа (послесловие к роману "Пентакль") |trans-title=Five authors in search for answers (an afterword to Pentacle) |language= ru|location=Moscow |publisher=Eksmo |isbn=5-699-09313-3 |quote=Украиноязычная фантастика переживает сейчас не лучшие дни. ... Если же говорить о фантастике, написанной гражданами Украины в целом, независимо от языка (в основном, естественно, на русском), — то здесь картина куда более радужная. В Украине сейчас работают более тридцати активно издающихся писателей-фантастов, у кого регулярно выходят книги (в основном, в России), кто пользуется заслуженной любовью читателей; многие из них являются лауреатами ряда престижных литературных премий, в том числе и международных. <br /><br /> Speculative fiction in Ukrainian is living through a hard time today... Speaking of fiction written by Ukrainian citizens, regardless of language (primarily Russian, of course), there's a brighter picture. More than 30 fantasy and science fiction writers are active here, their books are regularly published (in Russia, mostly), they enjoy the readers' love they deserve; many are recipients of prestigious literary awards, including international.}}</ref> This is especially notable within [[science fiction]] and [[fantasy]] genres.<ref name="pentacle"/> Kharkiv is considered the "capital city" of Ukrainian sci-fi and fantasy, it is home to several popular Russophone Ukrainian writers, such as [[H. L. Oldie]] (pen name for Oleg Ladyzhensky and Dmitry Gromov),<ref>[http://oldie.ru/ru/authors/2009-09-22-04-28-24.html H. L. Oldie official website: biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225202906/http://oldie.ru/ru/authors/2009-09-22-04-28-24.html |date=December 25, 2013 }} (Russian)</ref> [[Alexander Zorich]],<ref>[http://www.zorich.ru/author/ealexander_zorich_biography.htm Alexander Zorich biography] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019061038/http://www.zorich.ru/author/ealexander_zorich_biography.htm |date=October 19, 2017 }} (English)</ref> [[Andrei Valentinov]], and [[Yuri Nikitin (author)|Yuri Nikitin]]. [[Science fiction convention]] ''Zvezdny Most'' (Rus. for "Star Bridge") is held in Kharkiv annually. Russophone Ukrainian writers also hail from Kyiv, those include [[Marina and Sergey Dyachenko]]<ref>[http://www.dyachenko-writers.com/about/ Marina and Sergey Dyachenko: Writers About Themselves] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131225173537/http://www.dyachenko-writers.com/about/ |date=December 25, 2013 }} (English)</ref> and [[Vladimir Arenev]]. [[Max Frei]] hails from Odesa, and [[Vera Kamsha]] was born in [[Lviv]]. Other Russophone Ukrainian writers of sci-fi and fantasy include [[Vladimir Vasilyev (writer)|Vladimir Vasilyev]], [[Vladislav Rusanov (writer)|Vladislav Rusanov]], [[Alexander Mazin]] and [[Fyodor Berezin]]. ''[[RBG-Azimuth]]'', Ukraine's largest sci-fi and fantasy magazine, is published in Russian, as well as now defunct ''Realnost Fantastiki''.<ref name="first_issue">{{cite web |url=http://archivsf.narod.ru/2006/rbg_azimut/index.htm |title=Архив фантастики |publisher=Archivsf.narod.ru |access-date=2012-02-03 |archive-date=March 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301184733/http://archivsf.narod.ru/2006/rbg_azimut/index.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>

Outside science fiction and fantasy, there is also a number of Russophone realist writers and poets. Ukrainian literary magazine ''Sho'' listed [[Alexander Kabanov (writer)|Alexander Kabanov]], [[Boris Khersonsky]], [[Andrey Polyakov]], [[Andrey Kurkov]] and [[Vladimir Rafeyenko]] as best Russophone Ukrainian writers of 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sho.kiev.ua/news/59901|title=Писатель, знай свое место - Журнал "Шо"|website=www.sho.kiev.ua|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=December 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229052354/http://sho.kiev.ua/news/59901|url-status=live}}</ref>

According to H. L. Oldie, writing in Russian is an easier way for Ukrainian authors to be published and reach a broader audience. The authors say that it is because of Ukraine's ineffective book publishing policy: while Russian publishers are interested in popular literature, Ukrainian publishers rely mostly on [[grant (money)|grant]] givers.<ref name="pentacle"/> Many Ukrainian publishers agree and complain about low demand and low profitability for books in Ukrainian, compared to books in Russian.<ref>[http://archive.kontrakty.ua/gc/2006/25/3-zaplati-za-kapitalizaciyu.html  Книгоиздание в Украине: мнения экспертов] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150110001019/http://archive.kontrakty.ua/gc/2006/25/3-zaplati-za-kapitalizaciyu.html |date=January 10, 2015 }} - «Контракты» №25 Июнь 2006г.</ref>

===In the media===
A 2012 study showed that:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://life.pravda.com.ua/society/2012/11/9/115486/|title=Українська мова втрачає позиції в освіті та книговиданні, але тримається в кінопрокаті|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=December 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229052353/http://life.pravda.com.ua/society/2012/11/9/115486/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* on the radio, 3.4% of songs were in Ukrainian while 60% were in Russian
* over 60% of newspapers, 83% of journals and 87% of books were in Russian
* 28% of TV programs were in Ukrainian, even on state-owned channels

Russian-language programming is sometimes subtitled in Ukrainian, and commercials during Russian-language programs are in Ukrainian on Ukraine-based media.

On March 11, 2014, amidst [[2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine|pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine]], the Ukrainian National Council on Television and Radio Broadcasting shut down the broadcast of [[Russia]]n television channels [[Rossiya 24]], [[Channel One Russia]], [[RTR Planeta]], and [[NTV (Russia)|NTV Mir]] in Ukraine.<ref name="BRTiU11314">{{Cite web|date=2014-03-11|title=Half of Ukraine's providers stop broadcasting Russian television channels - Mar. 11, 2014|url=https://www.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/half-of-ukraines-providers-stop-broadcasting-russian-television-channels-339047.html|access-date=2022-02-05|website=KyivPost|archive-date=November 12, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112003514/https://www.kyivpost.com/article/content/ukraine-politics/half-of-ukraines-providers-stop-broadcasting-russian-television-channels-339047.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2014-03-12|title=Ukraine hits back at Russian TV onslaught|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26546083|access-date=2022-02-05|archive-date=August 8, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190808194733/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26546083|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 19 August 2014 Ukraine has blocked 14 Russian television channels "to protect its media space from aggression from Russia, which has been deliberately inciting hatred and discord among Ukrainian citizens".<ref>[https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-television-idUSKBN0GJ1QM20140819 Ukraine bans Russian TV channels for airing war 'propaganda'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161230160018/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ukraine-crisis-television-idUSKBN0GJ1QM20140819 |date=December 30, 2016 }}, [[Reuters]] (19 August 2014)</ref>

In early June 2015, 162 Russian movies and TV series were banned in Ukraine because they were seen to contain popularization, agitation and/or propaganda for the [[2014–15 Russian military intervention in Ukraine]] (this military intervention is denied by Russia).<ref>{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/06/4/7070188/ Released list of 162 banned Russian movies and TV series] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150607215542/http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2015/06/4/7070188/ |date=June 7, 2015 }}, [[Ukrayinska Pravda]] (4 June 2015)</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/moscow-stifles-dissent-as-russian-soldiers-return-from-ukraine-in-coffins/506979.html | title=Moscow Stifles Dissent as Soldiers Return From Ukraine in Coffins | work=[[The Moscow Times]] | date=12 September 2014 | agency=Reuters | access-date=9 November 2014 | archive-date=May 5, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150505162628/http://www.themoscowtimes.com/news/article/moscow-stifles-dissent-as-russian-soldiers-return-from-ukraine-in-coffins/506979.html | url-status=live }}</ref> All movies that feature "unwanted" Russian or Russia-supporting actors were also banned.<ref>The Star.[https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/08/09/ukraine-bans-films-featuring-blacklisted-russian-actors-including-gerard-depardieu.html Ukraine bans films featuring blacklisted Russian actors, including Gerard Depardieu] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019074223/https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2015/08/09/ukraine-bans-films-featuring-blacklisted-russian-actors-including-gerard-depardieu.html |date=October 19, 2017 }}. By The Associated Press. Sun., Aug. 9, 2015</ref>

====On the Internet====
Russian is by far the preferred language on websites in Ukraine (80.1%), followed by English (10.1%), then Ukrainian (9.5%). The Russian language version of [[Wikipedia]] is five times more popular within Ukraine than the Ukrainian one, with these numbers matching those for the 2008 Gallup poll cited above (in which 83% of Ukrainians preferred to take the survey in Russian and 17% in Ukrainian.)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/13758/ukraine-s-ongoing-struggle-with-its-russian-identity|title=Ukraine's Ongoing Struggle With Its Russian Identity|website=www.worldpoliticsreview.com|date=May 6, 2014 |access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=December 29, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171229231700/https://www.worldpoliticsreview.com/articles/13758/ukraine-s-ongoing-struggle-with-its-russian-identity|url-status=live}}</ref>

While government organizations are required to have their websites in Ukrainian, Ukrainian usage of the Internet is mostly in the Russian language. According to DomainTyper, the top ranking [[.ua]] domains are google.com.ua, yandex.ua, ex.ua and i.ua, all of which use the Russian language as default.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://domaintyper.com/top-websites/most-popular-websites-with-ua-domain|title=Most Popular Websites with .UA domain|last=domaintyper|website=domaintyper.com|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=May 2, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502184907/https://domaintyper.com/top-websites/most-popular-websites-with-ua-domain|url-status=live}}</ref> According to 2013 UIA research, four of the five most popular websites (aside from [[Google]]) in Ukraine were Russian or Russophone: those are [[Vkontakte]], [[Mail.ru]], [[Yandex]],  and [[Odnoklassniki]].<ref>[http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/uia_names_top_25_most_visited_websites_in_ukraine_311617 UIA names the TOP 25 most visited websites in Ukraine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131229071333/http://www.ukrinform.ua/eng/news/uia_names_top_25_most_visited_websites_in_ukraine_311617 |date=December 29, 2013 }}. 21.10.2013</ref> The top Ukrainian language website in this rank is [[Ukr.net]], which was only the 8th most popular, and even Ukr.net uses both languages interchangeably.

On May 15, 2017, Ukrainian president Poroshenko issued a decree that demanded all Ukrainian internet providers to block access to all most popular Russian social media and websites, including [[VK (service)|VK]], [[Odnoklassniki]], [[Mail.ru]], [[Yandex]] citing matters of national security in the context of the [[War in Donbas (2014–2022)|war in Donbas]] and explaining it as a response to "[[Cyberwarfare#Russian-led cyberattacks|massive Russian cyberattacks]] across the world".<ref>[[The Economist]]. [https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21722360-blocking-websites-may-be-pointless-it-could-help-president-poroshenkos-popularity-ukraine Ukraine bans its top social networks because they are Russian] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170806145604/https://www.economist.com/news/europe/21722360-blocking-websites-may-be-pointless-it-could-help-president-poroshenkos-popularity-ukraine |date=August 6, 2017 }}</ref><ref>[[The Guardian]]. [https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/16/ukraine-blocks-popular-russian-websites-kremlin-role-war Ukraine blocks popular social networks as part of sanctions on Russia] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170523092549/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/may/16/ukraine-blocks-popular-russian-websites-kremlin-role-war |date=May 23, 2017 }} Tuesday 16 May 2017 17.40 BST</ref> On the following day the demand for applications that allowed to access blocked websites skyrocketed in Ukrainian segments of [[App Store (iOS)|App Store]] and [[Google Play]].<ref>[http://actualapple.com/ukrainian-users-have-blocked-vpn-access-on-ios-and-android/ Ukrainian users have blocked VPN access on iOS and Android] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501224936/https://actualapple.com/ukrainian-users-have-blocked-vpn-access-on-ios-and-android/ |date=May 1, 2021 }} 18.05.2017</ref> The ban was condemned by [[Human Rights Watch]] that called it "a cynical, politically expedient attack on the right to information affecting millions of Ukrainians, and their personal and professional lives",<ref>[https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/05/16/ukraine-revoke-ban-dozens-russian-web-companies Ukraine: Revoke Ban on Dozens of Russian Web Companies] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170521154144/https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/05/16/ukraine-revoke-ban-dozens-russian-web-companies |date=May 21, 2017 }} May 16, 2017 11:00PM EDT</ref> while head of [[Council of Europe]]<ref>[http://tass.com/world/946256 Council of Europe chief alarmed at Kiev's decision to block Russian social networks] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170529103926/http://tass.com/world/946256 |date=May 29, 2017 }}. May 17, 2017</ref>{{better source needed|date=May 2017|reason=original source needed, not Russian hearsay}} expressed a "strong concern" about the ban.

In January 2016, the ratio of [[Russian Wikipedia|Russian]] to [[Ukrainian Wikipedia]] use in Ukraine was 4.6 times, decreasing to 2.6 times in January 2019, 2.4 times in January 2020, and 2 times in January 2021.<ref name="p1">{{cite web |url=https://wikiukraine.wordpress.com/2021/02/03/dip/ |title= Українська Вікіпедія пережене за популярністю російську в 2025 |trans-title=Ukrainian Wikipedia will surpass Russian in popularity in 2025 |work=Вікі: медіа і технології [Wiki: media and technology] |first=Юрій [Yuriy Perohanych] |last=Пероганич |language=uk |date=February 3, 2021 |access-date= }}</ref> In October 2023, the difference in the number of pageviews between the Wikipedias was 10 million (the Ukrainian Wikipedia had 90 million views, while the Russian Wikipedia had 100 million), the lowest ever recorded.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Пероганич |first=Юрій |date=2022-11-05 |title=В Україні зростає популярність української Вікіпедії і падає популярність російської |url=https://wikiukraine.wordpress.com/2022/11/05/%d0%b2-%d1%83%d0%ba%d1%80%d0%b0%d1%97%d0%bd%d1%96-%d0%bf%d0%b0%d0%b4%d0%b0%d1%94-%d0%bf%d0%be%d0%bf%d1%83%d0%bb%d1%8f%d1%80%d0%bd%d1%96%d1%81%d1%82%d1%8c-%d1%80%d0%be%d1%81%d1%96%d0%b9%d1%81%d1%8c/ |access-date=2022-11-06 |website=Вікі: медіа і технології |language=uk}}</ref>

The usage of the Russian language on social media sharply decreased after the beginning of the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in February 2022. According to a poll conducted the following December, only 2% of respondents used exclusively Russian on the Internet, while another 4% used mostly Russian. 38% used Ukrainian and Russian equally, 26% used mostly Ukrainian, and another 26% used exclusively Ukrainian.<ref>{{Cite news |title=Українська суттєво посилилась в усіх сферах: вдома, на роботі та в інтернеті. Опитування |url=https://www.bbc.com/ukrainian/news-64201995 |access-date=2024-01-25 |work=BBC News Україна |language=uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-01-07 |title=Мова та ідентичність в Україні на кінець 2022-го |url=https://zbruc.eu/node/114247 |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=Збруч |language=uk}}</ref> As of October 2023, Ukrainian significantly dominated Russian on [[Instagram]], [[Twitter]], and [[Facebook]], slightly prevailed on [[Tik Tok]], and almost equaled Russian on [[YouTube]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023 |title="Радикальний прогрес". У соцмережах української стало набагато більше, – дослідження |url=https://texty.org.ua/fragments/111001/radykalnyj-prohres-u-socmerezhah-ukrayinskoyi-stalo-nabahato-bilshe-doslidzhennya/ |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=texty.org.ua |language=uk}}</ref>

===In education===
{{seealso|Ukrainization #2017 law "On Education"}}
Among private secondary schools, each individual institution decides whether to study Russian or not.<ref name="ostriv.in.ua">{{cite web|url=http://ostriv.in.ua/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1519&Itemid=1335&ft=1|title=Співпраця України і Російської Федерації у сфері освіти і науки - Острів знань|website=ostriv.in.ua|access-date=December 28, 2017|archive-date=March 13, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313144558/http://ostriv.in.ua/index.php?ft=1&id=1519&itemid=1335&option=com_content&task=view|url-status=live}}</ref>

The number of Russian-teaching schools has reduced since [[Ukrainian independence]] in 1991 and in 2021 it is much lower than the proportion of Russophones,<ref name=Ivanyshyn>Vasyl Ivanyshyn, Yaroslav Radevych-Vynnyts'kyi, ''[http://www.vesna.org.ua/txt/ivanyshynv/movnaz/index.html Mova i Natsiya] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060604050113/http://www.vesna.org.ua/txt/ivanyshynv/movnaz/index.html |date=June 4, 2006 }}'', Drohobych, Vidrodzhennya, 1994, {{ISBN|5-7707-5898-8}}
</ref><ref name=RadaRightsCommiss>"the number of Ukrainian secondary schools has increased to 15,900, or 75% of their total number. In all, about 4.5 million students (67.4% of the total) are taught in Ukrainian, in Russian – 2.1 million (31.7%)..."<br />''"[http://www.ombudsman.kiev.ua/de1_zm.htm Annual Report of the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights “On the situation with observance and protection of human rights and freedoms in Ukraine” for the period from April 14, 1998 till December 31, 1999"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060502142633/http://www.ombudsman.kiev.ua/de1_zm.htm |date=May 2, 2006 }}''
</ref><ref name="Malynkovych">[[Volodymyr Malynkovych]], [http://www.igpi.ru/info/people/malink/1139380574.html Ukrainian perspective] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171019054440/http://www.igpi.ru/info/people/malink/1139380574.html|date=October 19, 2017}}, Politicheskiy Klass, January 2006</ref> but still higher than the proportion of ethnic Russians.

The ''Law on Education'' formerly granted Ukrainian families (parents and their children) a right to choose their native language for schools and studies.<ref name=COE>[http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/ukraine.php?aid=422 Ukraine/ Compendium of Cultural Policies and Trends in Europe, 10th edition] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171223062506/http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/ukraine.php?aid=422 |date=December 23, 2017 }}, [[Council of Europe]] (2009)</ref> This was changed by [[Ukrainization#2017 law "On Education"|a new law in 2017]] that only allows the use of Ukrainian in secondary schools and higher.

[[higher education in Ukraine|Higher education]] institutions in Ukraine generally use Ukrainian as the language of instruction.<ref name=RiUHR1/>

According to parliamentarians of the [[Supreme Council of Crimea]], in 2010 90% students of Crimea were studying in Russian language schools.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140930230048/http://tsn.ua/ukrayina/parlament-krimu-prosit-yanukovicha-dozvoliti-testuvannya-rosiiskoyu-movoyu.html Parliament of Crimea asks Yanukovych to allow testing in Russian language]. Broadcasting Service of News (TSN). 17 February 2010</ref> At the same time, only 7% of students in Crimea were studying in [[Ukrainian language]] schools.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20140930233327/http://life.pravda.com.ua/technology/2009/03/30/16397/ The lowest amount of Ukrainian schools is in Crimea]. [[Ukrayinska Pravda]] (Life). 30 March 2009</ref> In 2012, the only Ukrainian [[boarding school]] (50 pupils) in Sevastopol was closed, and children who would not study in Russian language were to be transferred to a boarding school for children with [[Intellectual disability|intellectual disabilities]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pritula |first=Vladimir |date=11 April 2012 |title=Ukrainian-language schools and classes are being closed in Crimea |url=http://www.radiosvoboda.org/content/article/24544094.html |access-date= |website=[[Radio Liberty]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140930233839/http://www.radiosvoboda.org/content/article/24544094.html |archive-date=30 September 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

===In courts===
Since 1 January 2010, [[Judicial system of Ukraine|court proceedings]] have been allowed to take place in Russian on mutual consent of parties. Citizens who are unable to speak [[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]] or Russian are allowed to use their native language or the services of an interpreter.<ref>[http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/118997/ Constitutional Court rules Russian, other languages can be used in Ukrainian courts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111216010621/http://www.kyivpost.com/news/nation/detail/118997/|date=December 16, 2011}}, [[Kyiv Post]] (15 December 2011)<br />{{in lang|uk}} [http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2009/06/23/4045262/ З подачі "Регіонів" Рада дозволила російську у судах] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225035633/https://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2009/06/23/4045262/|date=February 25, 2021}}, [[Ukrayinska Pravda]] (23 June 2009)<br />{{in lang|uk}} [http://novynar.com.ua/politics/126686 ЗМІ: Російська мова стала офіційною в українських судах] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120111061236/http://novynar.com.ua/politics/126686|date=January 11, 2012}}, [[Novynar]] (29 July 2010)<br />{{in lang|uk}} [http://ua.for-ua.com/ukraine/2010/07/29/113049.html Російська мова стала офіційною в українських судах] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426052126/http://ua.for-ua.com/ukraine/2010/07/29/113049.html|date=April 26, 2012}}, [[forUm]] (29 July 2010)</ref>

Article 14 of the 2019 [[Law of Ukraine "On protecting the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language"]] states:

1. In the courts of Ukraine, proceedings shall be conducted and records shall be kept in the State language.

2. Other languages than the State language may be used in court proceedings in the manner prescribed by the procedural codes of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine on Judicial System and Status of Judges.

3. Courts shall adopt decisions and make them public in the State language in the manner prescribed by law. Texts of court decisions shall be drafted with regard to the State language standards.<ref>{{Cite web |title=On Supporting the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language |url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/go/2704-19 |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=Official web-portal of the Parliament of Ukraine |language=en}}</ref>

===In business===
{{As of |2008}}, [[economy of Ukraine|business affairs in Ukraine]] were mainly dealt with in Russian.<ref name=RiUHR1/> Advanced technical and engineering courses at the university level in Ukraine were taught in Russian, which was changed according to the [[Ukrainization#2017 law "On Education"|2017 law "On Education"]].

Article 20 of the 2019 [[Law of Ukraine "On protecting the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language"]] states:

1. No one shall be forced to use a language other than the State language while being at work and performing duties under an employment contract, except when:

a) serving consumers or other customers who are foreigners or stateless persons;

b) drawing up legal, technical, informational and promotional texts or other messages and documents (including verbal ones) addressed to foreigners or stateless persons, legal entities, authorities and officers of foreign states and international organisations.

2. Employment contracts in Ukraine shall be executed in the State language, which shall not preclude the parties thereto from using its translation.<ref>{{Cite web |title=On Supporting the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language |url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/go/2704-19 |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=Official web-portal of the Parliament of Ukraine |language=en}}</ref>

== Russian language after the invasion of Ukraine ==
Following the start of the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]] in February 2022, attitudes towards the Russian language have changed. According to a survey of the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology in December of 2022, 58 percent of Ukrainians considered Russian "unimportant".<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Survey: Majority of Ukrainians Do Not Consider Russian Language Essential |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/post/11101 |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=KyivPost |date= January 13, 2023|language=en}}</ref> Additionally, in the fall of 2022, Russian was taken out of the educational curriculum in the cities of Kyiv, Mykolaiv, and Odesa.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |title=Russian Language Excluded from Kyiv State Schooling |url=https://www.kyivpost.com/post/4902 |access-date=2023-03-26 |website=KyivPost |date= November 11, 2022|language=en}}</ref> As per a February 2023 poll by RATING, 58% of respondents spoke exclusively Ukrainian at home, 30% spoke both Russian and Ukrainian, 11% spoke only Russian, 1% spoke a different one, and 1% found it difficult to say.<ref name="RATING Feb 2023">{{Cite web |date=2023-03-03 |title=National Survey of Ukraine (IRI): February 2023 |url=https://ratinggroup.ua/en/research/ukraine/national_survey_of_ukraine_iri_february_2023.html/ |access-date=2023-03-26}}</ref> However, this survey excluded the occupied Luhansk and Donetsk regions, as well as Crimea, and that in the different areas of the country (north, south, east and west), these percentages differed. For example, in the east, only 19% said that they speak exclusively Ukrainian, with 28% stating that they speak exclusively Russian, and 53% stating that they speak both languages.<ref name="RATING Feb 2023"/>

According to a survey taken in April and May of 2023 by the [[International Republican Institute]], Russian remained widely used as the language spoken at home in many eastern Ukrainian cities, and a sizeable minority language elsewhere. The survey reports the following results:<ref>{{Cite web| title=Eighth Annual Ukrainian Municipal Survey | year=2023 | url=https://www.iri.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Public-Eighth_Ukraine-Municipal-survey_2023-FINAL.pdf | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230630103914/https://www.iri.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Public-Eighth_Ukraine-Municipal-survey_2023-FINAL.pdf | archive-date=2023-06-30}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable"
|+Languages of Ukrainian Cities, May 2023
!City
!Russian
!Ukrainian
!Other languages{{ref label|rounding|A|A}}
|-
|Odesa
|80%
|16%
|4%
|-
|Kharkiv
|78%
|16%
|6%
|-
|Zaporizhzhia
|67%
|23%
|10%
|-
|Dnipro
|66%
|27%
|7%
|-
|Mykolaiv
|61%
|30%
|9%
|-
|Chernihiv
|41%
|53%
|6%
|-
|Kyiv
|38%
|59%
|3%
|-
|Sumy
|27%
|64%
|9%
|-
|Kropyvnytskyi
|20%
|77%
|3%
|-
|Cherkasy
|18%
|80%
|2%
|-
|Chernivtsi
|15%
|82%
|3%
|-
|Vinnytsia
|15%
|85%
|< 1%
|-
|Zhytomyr
|14%
|82%
|4%
|-
|Poltava
|12%
|75%
|13%
|-
|Uzhhorod
|9%
|85%
|6%
|-
|Khmelnytskyi
|9%
|88%
|3%
|-
|Lviv
|3%
|96%
|1%
|-
|Rivne
|3%
|96%
|1%
|-
|Ivano-Frankivsk
|3%
|97%
|< 1%
|-
|Ternopil
|1%
|98%
|1%
|-
|Lutsk
|1%
|98%
|1%
|}
{|
|-
|{{note label|rounding|A|A}} In the survey, the majority of the people who picked the "Other languages" option used it to indicate "Both Russian and Ukrainian", especially in the eastern regions.
|}

==See also==
{{portal|Ukraine|Russia|Language}}
* [[Russification of Ukraine]]
* [[Derussification in Ukraine]]
* [[Internationalism or Russification?]]
* [[Russians in Ukraine]]
* [[Surzhyk]]
* [[Russian book ban in Ukraine]]
* [[Language ombudsman (Ukraine)]]
* [[Law of Ukraine "On protecting the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language"]]
* [[Chronology of Ukrainian language suppression]]
* [[Russia–Ukraine relations]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==General Sources==
* {{cite book |last1=Grenoble |first1=Lenore A. |title=Language policy in the Soviet Union |date=2003 |publisher=Kluwer Academic Publishers |location=Dordrecht ; Boston |isbn=9781402012983 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ISBN9781402012983}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|title=Русские говоры Сумской области|place=[[Sumy]]|year=1998}} 160 pages. {{ISBN|966-7413-01-2}}
* {{cite book|title=Русские говоры на Украине|place=Kyiv|publisher=[[Naukova Dumka]]|year=1982}} 231 pages.
* {{cite book |last=Степанов |first=Є. М. |script-title=uk:Російське мовлення Одеси: Монографія |editor=Ю. О. Карпенка |editor2=І. І. Мечнікова |location=Odesa |publisher=Астропринт |year=2004 |isbn=966-318-289-X}}
* {{cite book|last=Фомин|first=А. И.|title=Языковой вопрос в Украине: идеология, право, политика. Монография|edition=2nd|place=Kyiv|publisher=Журнал «Радуга»}} 264 pages. {{ISBN|966-8325-65-6}}
* {{cite book|title=Rebounding Identities: The Politics of Identity in Russia and Ukraine|editor1-first=Dominique|editor1-last=Arel|editor2-first=Blair A.|editor2-last=Ruble|editor2-link=Blair Aldridge Ruble|publisher=Copub. The Johns Hopkins University Press|year=2006}} 384 pages. {{ISBN|0-8018-8562-0}} and {{ISBN|978-0-8018-8562-4}}
* {{cite book|last=Bilaniuk|first=Laada|title=Contested Tongues: Language Politics And Cultural Correction in Ukraine|publisher=Cornell University Press|year=2005}} 256 pages. {{ISBN|978-0-8014-4349-7}}
* {{cite book|last=Laitin|first=David Dennis|title=Identity in Formation: The Russian-Speaking Populations in the Near Abroad|publisher=Cornell University Press|year=1998}} 417 pages. {{ISBN|0-8014-8495-2}}
* {{cite journal|last=Del Gaudio|first=Salvatore|year=2013|title=Russian as a Non-Dominant Variety in Post-Soviet States: a Comparison |editor=Rudolf Muhr |display-editors=etal |journal=Exploring Linguistic Standards in Non-Dominant Varieties of Pluricentric Languages |location=Frankfurt am Main |publisher=Peter Lang Verlag |pages=343–363}}
* {{cite book|title=Choosing a Mother Tongue: The Politics of Language and Identity in Ukraine|first=Corinne A.|last=Seals|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vJyyDwAAQBAJ|publisher=Multilingual Matters|year=2019|isbn=9781788925013}} 213 pages. {{ISBN|1-78892-501-7}}

{{Languages of Ukraine}}
{{Russian language}}
{{Russian intervention in Ukraine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russian Language In Ukraine}}
[[Category:Geographical distribution of the Russian language|Ukraine]]
[[Category:Languages of Ukraine]]
[[Category:Russian-Ukrainian culture]]
[[Category:Russia–Ukraine relations]]
[[Category:Russification]]
[[Category:Social history of Ukraine]]