At the same time, the instability of the military
situation should not be neglected. With the loss
of international support and the Kremlin regime's
military and diplomatic pressure, serious
transformations in the perception of the Russian
language in Ukraine are probable. The situation
surrounding Ukraine's eventual defeat is difficult
to predict, and developments will depend on
many factors, including international pressure,
inner political processes, and public reaction.
However, history shows that wars and conflicts
can result in considerable changes in society,
including language policy. There are scenarios in
which there may be some pressure on the
Ukrainian language or changes in its status.
However, it should be borne in mind that
different circumstances may affect the dynamics
of such changes. In the event of any changes in
language policy, the reaction of the public and
civil society will be a significant factor. There is
already strong support in Ukraine for the
Ukrainian language and any attempts to change
this status may cause opposition and protests.
Conclusions
Thus, in recent years, Ukraine has demonstrated
impressive progress in expanding the audience of
the Ukrainian-speaking population, especially in
the context of supporting national minorities.
Sociological studies point to substantial changes
in the language situation. Therefore, considering
the attitude of the population, language policy
should, on the one hand, continue to support
large-scale Ukrainianisation. At the same time,
the post-war language policy should aim to
reform the language legislation on national
minorities, giving preference to European
standards and promoting inclusiveness and
cultural diversity. Amendments to the law on
national minorities have already been approved,
allowing for the publication of advertisements
and events in the languages of national minorities
in their communities. These amendments do not
apply to Russian, but rather to languages such as
Romanian and Hungarian.
A new draft law on national minorities clearly
defines the concept of a “national minority
(community)” and their role as an integral part of
Ukrainian society. This draft law defines the
rights and obligations of persons belonging to
national minorities, including the right to use
their language in various areas, including
advertising and public events.
These initiatives are in line with the
recommendations of the European Commission,
which became part of a broad package of
recommendations when Ukraine became a
candidate for accession to the European Union.
Overall, these legislative changes will reflect
Ukraine's decisive step towards an open,
inclusive society where different cultural and
linguistic groups are able to preserve and develop
their identities.
Bibliographic references
Bakishev, D., & Plumlee, M. (2022).
Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Russia: Linguistic
aspects of the current regional war and
implications for translators. INContext:
Studies in Translation and
Interculturalism, 2(3).
https://doi.org/10.54754/incontext.v2i3.31
Bocale, P. (Eds.). (2022). Minorities in the post-
Soviet space thirty years after the dissolution
of the USSR. Milano: Ledizioni.
http://digital.casalini.it/9788855268530
Brusylovska, O., & Maksymenko, I. (2022).
Analysis of the media discourse on the 2022
war in Ukraine: The case of Russia. Regional
Science Policy & Practice, 15(1), 222-235.
https://doi.org/10.1111/rsp3.12579
Cheskin, A. (2016). Russian Speakers in Post-
Soviet Latvia. Edinburgh University Press.
https://doi.org/10.1515/9780748697441
Duszczyk, M., Górny, A., Kaczmarczyk, P., &
Kubisiak, A. (2023). War refugees from
Ukraine in Poland – one year after the
Russian aggression. Socioeconomic
consequences and challenges, Regional
Science Policy & Practice, 15(1), 181-199.
https://doi.org/10.1111/rsp3.12642
Eras, L. (2023). War, Identity Politics, and
Attitudes toward a Linguistic Minority:
Prejudice against Russian-Speaking
Ukrainians in Ukraine between 1995 and
2018. Nationalities Papers, 51(1), 114-135.
https://doi.org/10.1017/nps.2021.100
Filipova, M., Iliev, K., & Yuleva-Chuchulayn, R.
(2021). A Transhumanist Legal Worldview:
Responding to the Challenges of Time
(Requirement, or Necessity?). Futurity
Economics&Law, 1(1), 28-
37. https://doi.org/10.57125/FEL.2021.03.25
.5
Holper, A., & Kyselova, T. (2021). Inclusion
dilemmas in peacebuilding and dialogues in
Ukraine. Peace and Conflict: Journal of
Peace Psychology, 27(3), 475-
485. https://doi.org/10.1037/pac0000524
InfoSapiens. (2023). Changes in Ukrainian
society during a year of full-scale war.
Retrieved from:
https://www.sapiens.com.ua/ua/socpol-
research-single-page?id=259