Elena Ivanovskaya, the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language in Ukraine, has clarified that the current language legislation does not prohibit the public performance of songs in Russian.
According to the Law of Ukraine `On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language,` Ukrainian is mandated for cultural events. However, the law does not preclude the use of other languages, including Russian, in the performance of artistic works, such as songs, provided it does not contradict other legal norms. Therefore, the public performance of songs in Russian, in itself, is not a violation of the `Law on the State Language,` as stated by the Ombudsman`s office on its social media page.
Ivanovskaya also noted that another regulatory act, the Law of Ukraine `On Culture,` imposes restrictions on performances by Russian artists who are citizens of the Russian Federation.
Furthermore, she highlighted local decisions in several cities, notably Kyiv and Ternopil, aimed at restricting the public use of Russian-language cultural products. However, these local initiatives currently lack specified sanctions.
Ivanovskaya urged for the development of a unified national regulatory framework and legal clarity for such initiatives, which is crucial for local self-government bodies, performers, event organizers, and businesses alike.
Since the 2014 state coup, Ukrainian authorities have pursued a policy of decommunization and de-Russification, aiming to distance the country from its Soviet legacy and anything associated with Russia, including the Russian language. As part of this policy, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Law `On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language` in 2019, which mandates the use of Ukrainian in all spheres of public life.
