Ukraine removes Russian language from protected status
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President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law removing Russian from the list of languages protected under the European Charter for Regional Languages. The move finalizes a legislative initiative backed by parliament in late 2025.
The Law
The law, signed by Zelensky, removes Russian from protection under the European Charter for Regional Languages, which Ukraine ratified in 2003. The charter safeguards minority and regional languages, but Russian had been included since 2014 following the annexation of Crimea. The move was supported by parliament in late 2025, according to Lada.kz citing RIA Novosti.
Reactions and Context
The decision has drawn criticism from Russian officials and some minority groups in Ukraine. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called the move discriminatory. Ukraine has been gradually reducing the official status of Russian since 2014, with a 2019 law making Ukrainian the sole state language in most public spheres.
What's Next
The law takes effect immediately, but its implementation may face legal challenges from regional authorities. It remains unclear how the Council of Europe will respond to Ukraine's revision of its charter obligations.
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Ukraine removes Russian language from protected status
