Ukrainians have become less likely to complain about violations of the language law. Thus, last year, the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language Taras Kremen received 2,314 appeals from citizens about violations of the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language”, which is 37% less than in 2023 (3,692), and 19% less than in 2022 (2,846). “This is not about a decrease in citizens' attention to language rights, but about a gradual improvement in the language situation in Ukraine,” the language ombudsman commented .
However, there are also unpleasant trends within the framework of Ukrainization. “I was personally touched by the problem that affected the Kharkiv region, when the street named after Oleksandr Oles was renamed Zatyshna. Because it seems to be easier for local people. I don’t like the street named after Valerian Pidmohylny in Vorzel, because it carries a negative connotation. And it is very unpleasant that in the very center of Kharkiv, the street, which was once called Sydor Kovpak Street, then renamed… after Maksym Rylsky, now they want to rename it Svyato-Pokrovska… I believe that this arbitrariness must be stopped,” Taras Kremin noted . “Apostrophe” asked the language ombudsman about the reasons why Ukrainized toponyms do not take root in some places, whether the use of the language during breaks in schools will be regulated, and what to do with Russian-speaking military personnel.
- How can we explain these processes of renaming streets? Who is the source of the initiatives?
- I would call these processes reverse decolonization. In accordance with the law adopted by the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, thousands of names of streets, squares, squares, geographical objects, settlements were renamed, and an important role in this was played by local governments, with the exception of those who did not prepare the relevant draft decisions in a timely manner and did not propose a better implementation of the legislative initiative. I am very sorry that the story of reverse decolonization may have a tendency to spread to other regions of Ukraine, except for the Kharkiv and Kyiv regions.
- How to stop it?
- The fact is that local governments are using the law on local self-government and in this way are trying to play along with local communities, especially in preparation for possible upcoming local elections. I believe that this is pure political provocation and speculation that has nothing to do with meeting the needs of communities in the territories of individual regions. For example, I cannot imagine that, say, tomorrow someone will start renaming streets named after the defenders of Ukraine who gave their lives in the Russian-Ukrainian war, prominent Ukrainian architects, writers, scientists and cultural figures of different periods and eras.
After all, just like the historical names that have been engraved and are the embodiment of the high wise thought of the builders of individual communities and territories. Therefore, these dangers must be clearly analyzed and a solution can be found at the level of regional military administrations, especially in conditions of martial law. In the history of the Kharkiv region, especially in conditions of martial law, I noticed signs of excess of their powers by individual local government bodies, which, contrary to the order of the head of the Kharkiv OVA, recreated, so to speak, this example of reverse decolonization. I think that this can be implemented.
At the same time, I recommend that all communities, as well as every citizen, learn more about the new names. Obviously, to prepare appropriate informational explanatory actions and campaigns that could tell much more to the modern residents of Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Odessa, Kyiv, Dnipro, Zaporizhia, where there were perhaps the most renamings, why this street is named after a particular person, event, what is its contribution to the development of a particular community, the protection of territorial integrity, the development of Ukrainian culture, science, spirituality, etc., in order to prevent potentially dangerous reverse decolonization processes.
- Ivano-Frankivsk has a case of language inspectors. Do any other cities want to implement this?
- This is pure speculation. There are no language inspectors. This is a fiction of Russian propaganda. Every citizen of Ukraine has the right to declare a violation of their rights not only in the sphere of the use of the Ukrainian language, but also in the sphere of culture, a violation of their rights to social protection, pension provision, etc. They are not inspectors, they are citizens of Ukraine, as defined by the Constitution of Ukraine. Therefore, anyone who wishes can submit their applications about the violation of their language rights, which, in principle, they do.
During January, February, and early March 2025 alone, I received about half a thousand appeals from citizens of Ukraine from different parts of the world.
- This is despite the fact that last year there were less than three thousand...
- Now such statistics have changed significantly, and it is precisely due to the fact that we were able to analyze a sufficient number of sessions, plenary meetings of local self-government. Now, unfortunately, bilingualism in the media sector is preserved. A lot of violations are recorded in the Internet sector, that is, there is no start page for the Internet representative office. And unfortunately, in the service sector and in education. Therefore, of course, we are fighting these challenges, as stipulated in the law. We impose sanctions on violators of the language law. We have increased the number of state control measures in 2025.
But the situation with the protection of the language rights of Ukrainian citizens is much better. For example, during 2024 we eliminated more than 75% of violations in the Internet sphere alone. But, given that the Internet and, in particular, individual Telegram channels, pages on social networks, Instagram, TikTok, still remain Russian-language and are a source, including, of recruiting Ukrainian citizens who undermine issues related to the security and defense of Ukraine - it seems to me that state authorities need to take urgent response measures in order to prevent the spread of propaganda, disinformation, and blind recruitment of Ukrainian citizens. Recent cases that occurred, for example, in Ternopil, just say that among the vulnerable categories we still have children. And children are one of the main users of the Internet, including through mobile devices. I will say even more - the main information that Ukrainian citizens receive about events in Ukraine, including about the war, about security, about missile attacks, air raids - from the Internet. Therefore, the issues of the Internet and legislative regulation of its use in the territory of Ukraine, in the part of social networks that are of Russian origin, must be regulated.
- Is it worth increasing responsibility and the size of fines for violating language laws in Ukraine?
- A working group has been created in the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to improve the law of Ukraine on ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language. Therefore, I think that these proposals, which will be made by various government bodies, local governments, and every citizen, will be taken into account.
- The bill obliging teachers and students to speak Ukrainian during breaks has not yet been submitted to the session hall. Why?
- A new bill has now been registered, which regulates the issue of using both the state language in those schools where the educational process is taught and carried out in the state language, and in those schools where classes with the language of instruction of indigenous peoples or national minorities have been established. Therefore, in fact, the new legislative initiative, which was registered under the authorship of Oleksandr Kornienko, Natalia Pipa, Serhiy Babak, etc., among other things, legalizes the issue of using state languages in all educational institutions, regardless of the form of ownership and region at the legislative level. But most importantly, this document provides a clear definition of what a Ukrainian-language educational environment and an educational environment in individual educational institutions of national communities and indigenous peoples are; Control over responsibility is being strengthened, but the most important thing is that the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, and today Minister Oksen Lisovyi has been working in this position for two years, should pay much more attention to clarification, clear requirements and orders, which they have the right to use in order to significantly aggravate the situation.
Because the results of the research [conducted] together with the State Service for the Quality of Education indicate that, unfortunately, the bilingualism regime is preserved in educational institutions. And it concerns the use of a non-state language by participants in the educational process during breaks, in canteens, gyms, etc. - in general, on the territory of educational institutions. Therefore, these and many other factors must be taken into account, and control must be exercised both by the ministry and by new legislative initiatives, and, most importantly, by each citizen. I always say that the language of communication in the areas specified by law depends on family upbringing, on the language of communication between parents and children at home. If parents do not communicate with their children in Ukrainian at home, it is clear that children, having such a language culture, do not communicate in Ukrainian with their peers, do not use Ukrainian-language settings on mobile devices or the Internet, do not watch Ukrainian films, do not read Ukrainian books, and, ultimately, do not have a sufficient level of Ukrainian language proficiency, as is required of citizens of Ukraine in a Ukrainian-speaking environment.
- Some military personnel also communicate in Russian. Do you have any developments regarding the Ukrainization of the defense sector?
- The fact is that the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, on my recommendations, is conducting a survey among all military personnel during March on the level of proficiency and the need to improve their language skills. Therefore, having these results, I think that by the end of the month the ministry, which has all the necessary capabilities for this, will offer the best tools for improving the language skills of citizens of Ukraine who are in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Defense Forces. Whether these will be language courses, or whether it will be some kind of educational training, online learning, I do not know, but the Ministry of Defense is concerned about this and is ultimately implementing the best opportunities. For my part, a year ago I organized language courses for the Territorial Defense Forces.
They were popular, but in order to make them large-scale, of course, the Ministry of Defense should take care of this. They have an extensive network of educational institutions - professional pre-university education, higher education, the University of Defense has a leading position in this. I am ready to assist them in this as much as possible.
- Mr. Taras, finally, I will ask: how do you improve your Ukrainian?
- I read a lot.
- What exactly?
- Today, on the way, I was reading Maksym Rylsky's book "Love Nature Not for Yourself". And not so long ago, I was given the "Anthology of Monuments of State Formation of the 10th-20th Centuries", which contains unique historical documents. For the first time, perhaps even published for the general public. But what is interesting is that among these monuments there are many poems. Therefore, I am pleased that among the poets presented here is the lyrics of my father Dmytro Kremen, a Shevchenko laureate.
