Language Ombudsman reported on the slowdown of Ukrainization.

The Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, Taras Kremin, states that signs of a slowdown in Ukrainization began to appear in 2024. In particular, he noted a decrease in the proportion of people who consider Ukrainian their native language, as well as an increase in the Russification of the internet space and media space in the south and east of Ukraine. He wrote about this on his Facebook page.

«Unfortunately, this year signs of a slowdown in Ukrainization began to appear. The Russian enemy continues to counteract Ukrainian identity, occupying social networks, Telegram channels, and in the south and east - the media space, breaking through to the consciousness of young Ukrainians» - Kremin said.

The Ombudsman emphasized that establishing the Ukrainian language as the state language in all spheres of public life should become a strategic task for Ukraine.

Among the main challenges in language policy, Kremin noted the slowdown of Ukrainization processes, which is manifested in the decrease in the proportion of those who consider Ukrainian their native language.

In particular, the proportion of participants in the educational process who consider Ukrainian their native language has decreased by 17% among students, 11% among parents, and 8% among teachers. The Russification of the internet space and social networks is also noticeable.

Separately, Taras Kremin addressed the problems in the language environment among young people: «It is noteworthy that only 37% of students communicate with friends in Ukrainian, while 39% do so at home. Moreover, the number of students who prefer the Ukrainian language on the internet has decreased by 10%».

Urgent tasks of state language policy

• Ensure the implementation of the State Target National-Cultural Program for ensuring the comprehensive development and functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language in all spheres of public life for the period up to 2030.
• To complete the implementation of the Law, it is necessary to: ensure the translation and publication in the state language of international treaties of Ukraine that have not been published in the state language as of the date the Law came into force; ensure the development and approval of Ukrainian legal and medical terminology, other standards of the Ukrainian language; develop and approve the procedure for conducting language expertise; complete the alignment of laws and other normative legal acts in accordance with the Law.
• Fulfill the recommendation of the Constitutional Court of Ukraine set out in the decision of 14.07.2021 No. 1-r/2021 and immediately establish clarity on the issue of the official translation of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.
• Ensure the implementation of the Ukrainian spelling approved by the government resolution of May 22, 2019, No. 437, in normative activities.
• Create the necessary normative, legal, and institutional conditions for the study of the Ukrainian language abroad, as well as for state certification of testing and confirming the level of proficiency in the Ukrainian language as a foreign language.
• Strengthen the staffing and organizational support of the activities of the National Commission on State Language Standards.
• Create a separate unit at the level of at least a department in the structure of the Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine, with competence in the formation and implementation of state language policy.

«Guaranteeing the dominance and dynamic development of the Ukrainian language in all spheres of public life throughout Ukraine should become a strategic task of the Ukrainian state», - emphasized Kremin.

The Ombudsman noted that the implementation of this goal will contribute to the national security and defense capability of Ukraine.

Earlier, the language ombudsman stated that the soft Ukrainization had been replaced by an assault. Kremin pointed out that the assault Ukrainization implies strict control over compliance with the language law in all spheres of public life in Ukraine. The Ombudsman noted that previously the article which stipulates the obligation of the Ukrainian language in the field of culture did not work in full. However, according to him, the situation has changed: there are already tools for monitoring, control, and punishment.

It should be noted that Russian occupiers are intensifying the Russification of the Zaporizhzhia region - residents of temporarily occupied territories will be fined for using the Ukrainian language. In particular, the Russians plan to fine owners of private households for Ukrainian-language address plates with actual street names. Sanctions are promised to be imposed starting from 2025.