Ukrainian security agents probed for speaking Russian during Kiev gunfight
Ukrainian security operatives involved in a scandalous gunfight between two rival factions of Vladimir Zelensky's government in Kiev last week are facing a fresh probe – this time for speaking Russian during the clash.
The September 2 gang-warfare-style clash between the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Ukrainian Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR), centred on an attempt to arrest white supremacist Stepan Kaplunov, a senior officer in the so-called Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), a paramilitary unit operating under the HUR and thought to be in control of a number of Ukrainian scam-call centers.
Ukraine’s language ombudswoman, Elena Ivanovskaya, said Wednesday she had requested personal information on all those involved and demanded the two services provide an explanation as to why their officials “used a non-state language while performing their official duties.” The data was needed “to clarify the circumstances and make a balanced decision on response measures,” she said in a statement published by Ukrainian media.
Crackdown on Russian
Ukrainian is mandatory in the country's public sphere, including government, education, media and customer service. Violations can result in administrative fines of up to $270.
Ivanovskaya has suggested increasing the fines tenfold and has demanded Russian-speaking children and parents use Ukrainian during breaks and in conversations with teachers. According to the ombudswoman, both instances fall under the “public sphere” definition and the use of Russian in such cases could be punishable by fines.
Kiev announced plans in February to take all Russian and Russian-language books out of circulation in Ukraine. Ukraine expanded 2016 import restrictions to outright ban any commercial Russian and Belarusian book entries in 2023.
Kiev is also 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, according to Ukrainian Sanctions Policy Commissioner Vladislav Vlasiuk. More than 100 Russian performers have been blacklisted in Ukraine and the list will be expanded, according to the official.
Moscow has repeatedly denounced such measures as “Russophobic censorship,” warning that attempts to “cancel” Russian culture will ultimately fail.
Russian remains widespread
Despite the restrictions, Russian remains widely used in Ukraine. Ukrainian Culture Minister Tatyana Berezhnaya said earlier this year that 71% of Ukrainians regularly consume Russian-language content, with nearly a quarter doing so every day.
Ukrainian officials, especially those in Vladimir Zelensky's inner circle targeted by anti-corruption agents, have been repeatedly caught using Russian on surveillance audio.
The Western-backed Ukrainian anti-corruption agency (NABU) published audio recordings that showed that 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 his official capacity.
