Russia's ban on studying Ukrainian in schools: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs called it genocidal policy

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine reacted to the decision of the Russian authorities to ban the study of the Ukrainian language in schools in the temporarily occupied territories. This was reported by UNN with reference to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine.

Details

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized the criminal nature of the actions of the Russian authorities regarding the Ukrainian language.

We consider the decision of the Russian authorities to ban the study of the Ukrainian language in schools in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine as another manifestation of Moscow's genocidal policy

The ministry stressed that Russia's language policy has a distinct imperial and aggressive character.

Imperial Russia, which systematically manipulates the language issue to justify aggression, pursues a deliberate policy of Russification, assimilation, genocidal extermination of entire peoples, oppression of other cultures, suppression of national identity

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs recalled the centuries-old history of oppression of the Ukrainian language by Moscow.

For centuries, Muscovy tried to ban the Ukrainian language a total of more than 130 times. In the end, the authors of these attempts perished along with their decrees, circulars, and denunciations, and the Ukrainian language outlived all oppressors - the diplomats noted.

The ministry emphasized that modern Russian aggression has no prospects, just like previous attempts at linguicide.

Similarly, modern attempts to continue tsarist repressions and Stalinist linguicide will come to naught

The Russian authorities were also reminded of the cultural heritage of Kherson region and the power that now stands behind the Ukrainian word. To Russian chauvinists who decided once again to "ban" the Ukrainian word in Kherson region, we can answer with the words of the great native of Kherson region Mykola Kulish: "Every word convinces when there is a weapon behind it!"

The department emphasized that the Ukrainian language today has powerful protection.

Today, the Ukrainian language is not unarmed. Behind it is the strength of the Ukrainian army and weapons. Therefore, all Russian "bans" are as fake and temporary as the Russian occupation

In conclusion, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the temporary occupation will end, and with it, forced Russification will disappear.

The occupiers will perish, and Kulish's Chaplynka and the rest of Kherson region, Zaporizhzhia, and our South were and will be Ukraine. And when the Russian boot leaves Ukrainian land, a strong and powerful Ukrainian word will ring out after it

Recall

As UNN reported, since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation, the Ukrainian language has become not just a means of communication, but a symbol of the struggle for independence. The Ukrainian language is a marker of national identity, an important tool for forming social unity. Despite positive changes after the adoption of the language law in 2019, challenges remain, in particular due to active anti-Ukrainian propaganda, with which Russia tries to undermine the meaning of the Ukrainian language and national culture. Experts-linguists of the Kyiv Scientific Research Institute of Forensic Expertise (KNDISE) reveal the destructive influence of Russia through language.