🚫 Why do so many Ukrainians speak Russian? Because the Ukrainian language was banned by Russia 134 times.
⁉️ Many people are unaware that Russian is a colonial language and a lingua franca of the post-Soviet space. However, Ukrainian is closer to the original Rus' language, while Russian is a de facto artificial (though beautiful) imperial language. In practice, Poles and Ukrainians can understand each other more easily than either can understand Russians—a fact that surprises many. ⁉️
📢The historical spread of Ukrainian was vast, extending as far as the Caspian Sea in isolated pockets, and even today, many places in Siberia still have remnants of Ukrainian and Cossack settlements.
😱 A Systematic Effort to Erase Ukrainian
Here are just a few examples of how Russia suppressed the Ukrainian language:
⭐️ 1720: Tsar Peter I banned the printing of books in Ukraine.
⭐️ 1753: Catherine II prohibited teaching in Ukrainian.
⭐️ 1768: The Russian Orthodox Church ordered the confiscation of Ukrainian primers.
⭐️ 1775: Ukrainian schools were closed after the Russian destruction of the Zaporizhian Sich.
⭐️ 1830-1840s: Russification intensified; even the name "Ukraine" was banned.
⭐️ 1889: A linguistic ban at an archaeological congress in Kyiv permitted presentations in all languages except Ukrainian.
⭐️ 1895: Ukrainian children's literature was prohibited.
⭐️ 1914: The Ukrainian press was banned.
⭐️ 1938: Russian became a mandatory subject in Ukrainian schools. Ukrainian schools were shut down, and the language’s prestige was deliberately diminished.
⭐️ 1926-1939: Ukrainian activists were deported under accusations of nationalism.
⭐️ 1929: A newly printed Ukrainian dictionary was banned.
⭐️ 1960s: The young generation of the Ukrainian intelligentsia was persecuted and exterminated.
The Role of Dialects and Surzhyk
🤯 Despite centuries of suppression, Ukrainian persisted through regional dialects and Surzhyk—a mixed Ukrainian-Russian sociolect spoken in some areas. While Surzhyk is often seen as a sign of linguistic interference, it also represents the resilience of Ukrainian speakers who adapted under pressure.
Today, Ukraine is actively reclaiming its linguistic heritage, and more Ukrainians are switching back to their native tongue. The endurance of the Ukrainian language is a testament to cultural strength and identity, proving that despite 134 bans, it has never disappeared.
Data compiled and insights inspired by Marijn Markus, who has brought attention to this interesting issue.
