Ukraine Saying Russian Language Should Be Abolished 'Unhelpful Rhetoric' - UN Spokesman

Faizan Hashmi Published October 22, 2022 | 12:24 AM

The United Nations has observed a great deal of "unhelpful rhetoric" regarding the conflict in Ukraine, including the statements by Ukrainian official Oleksiy Danilov to abolish the Russian language in Ukraine, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Friday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 22nd October, 2022) The United Nations has observed a great deal of "unhelpful rhetoric" regarding the conflict in Ukraine, including the statements by Ukrainian official Oleksiy Danilov to abolish the Russian language in Ukraine, UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Friday.

"Since the start of the conflict, we have seen a lot of rhetoric, which to say the least, is not helpful," Dujarric said during a press briefing.

Dujarric said that words - and actions - matter, and the words used by Danilov, head of the Ukrainian National Security and Defense Council, regarding the Russian language and Russians in Ukraine were particularly troublesome.

Earlier on Friday, Danilov said the Russian language should be completely abolished in Ukraine for being "an element of hostile propaganda" and reaching an understanding with the Russian-speaking part of the Ukrainian population poses a threat to the state.

Danilov also said learning English should be compulsory in Ukraine in addition to learning the Ukrainian language.

In the 2001 census, more than 14.3 million Ukrainians, or almost 30% of the population, called Russian their native language. Since the US-supported Maidan coup in 2014, Kiev has adopted a number of policies aimed at regulating and restricting the use of the Russian language on television and in public places, including in the education and service sectors.

The discrimination against the Russian-speaking population led to a civil war in Ukraine, which resulted in the Donetsk and Luhansk people's republics declaring independence and appealing to Russia for help to defend them from intensifying attacks by Ukrainian troop.s

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin said on October 14 that the very question about abolishing the Ukrainian language in Russia is illegal.