1.2 “There is a genocide on Russian-speakers in Ukraine”, or “Russian speakers are being persecuted”

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Example: Putin declaring start of the “SMO”, claiming ongoing genocide on Russians (Youtube)

True or False: FALSE

Russian-speakers constitutes a large proportion of the population in Ukraine, also among people who consider themselves Ukrainians. Travel to Ukraine yourself and you will know for yourself. Walking the streets of Kyiv you will hear a lot of people speaking Russian, and even more so in e.g. Odesa and Kharkiv. People are not persecuted for speaking Russian. Here’s one example from liberated Kherson, where the inhabitants speak both Russian and Ukrainian, while meeting with Ukrainian soldiers: Ukraine War: Tears of relief and joy in liberated Kherson (Youtube-Sky News).

If you happen to know Russian and listen carefully you will even see many Ukrainian military speaking Russian among themselves, e.g. in the constant stream of videos on Twitter from the war. This includes the “Azov” battalion that Russia loves to point at as the most extremist “nazi” battalion, as in this example: Azov regiment interview, about Mariupol (Youtube/The Sun).

What is true, however, is that Ukraine has been taking measures to strengthen the Ukrainian language. During the Soviet time the Russian language was dominating at the expense of Ukrainian. For long, the Russian language has been used out of convenience, since it’s what people have been getting used to speak. Now, Ukrainian language is promoted as a language of education (Ukrainian is taught in schools) and as an official language of the country. But people can still speak Russian, and very many people still do. And they are not persecuted, and there’s definitely no genocide going on. However; in the backdrop of the war, many Ukrainians have now (voluntarily) turned to speaking Ukrainian instead of Russian.

For further background, listen to this radio feature about Russian language in Ukraine: Putin claimed Russian-speakers were being killed in Ukraine. Was that true?

Here is more in-depth information on the term genocide and how Russia uses it to serve it’s interests: Putin’s claims that Ukraine is committing genocide are baseless, but not unprecedented . More in general how Russia seeks control of it’s neighbor countries: Moldova, then Georgia, now Ukraine: How Russia built ‘bridgeheads into post-Soviet space’ (article, France24). Note that similar “genocide” accusations were made already when Russia took control over eastern Moldova , whose territories are still under Russian occupation.

Who is actually committing genocide? While Russia accuses Ukraine of “genocide” of Russians or Russian-speakers – THIS can be seen in RUSSIAN propaganda media:

Summary: This is FALSE. If you don’t believe it, just check media interviews or social media from Ukraine and you will see many Ukrainians using Russian language in their everyday life – even sometimes between soldiers in the Ukrainian army. Or just ask random Ukrainians, living in the Ukraine-controlled parts of Ukraine. And you will know.

On the contrary, it’s Russian propagandists and leadership that denies the Ukrainian history, language, identity and the very Ukrainian nation. If something, Russia is waging a genocidal war against Ukraine.