Putin approves new policy to fight Russian language discrimination
Moscow will oppose any attempts to target Russian abroad, the document says
FILE PHOTO: Russian President Vladimir Putin. © Sputnik / Mikhail Mettsel
Russian President Vladimir Putin has approved a new language policy doctrine aimed at supporting the use of Russian, both in the country and abroad. The change was necessary as Moscow continues to fight “attempts to restrict the use of the Russian language and ‘cancel’ Russian culture… as well as discrimination against Russian media,” according to the document.
Attempts by foreign nations to restrict the use of Russian have been identified as one of the main threats the country faces in the cultural sphere. It also addresses the “unfounded” use of foreign words in public speech, especially when there are common Russian equivalents available.
The new policy doctrine is aimed at preserving Russian and the languages of various ethnic groups, strengthening national unity, and promoting the use of Russian in the world.
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The measures outlined in the document include increasing interest in Russian abroad and developing ties with Russian expats and foreigners speaking the language and sharing traditional Russian values.
The Russian language should also be more prominent on the internet, the document says, and sets the goal of increasing the number of online resources allowing foreign nationals to study Russian and find out more about Russian culture.
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Last month, Putin also supported the idea of creating a centralized organization to promote and support the use of the language internationally. Moscow was already working on promoting Russian abroad “through various channels,” and these activities will benefit from the creation of “a dedicated center,” the president said.
A number of nations severely limited the use of Russian following the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in February 2022. In Ukraine, an unprecedented campaign was launched to purge anything linked to Russia.
Earlier this week, Ukraine’s education ombudsman advised schoolteachers to act as if they only understand Ukrainian when speaking with students. The law mandates the use of Ukrainian in most aspects of public life, despite a significant portion of the population speaking Russian as their native language.
The Baltic nations have ramped up enforcement actions against anyone suspected of having Russian ties. Hundreds of people, primarily ethnic Russians, have reportedly been deported from Latvia for failing a Latvian language exam. A Latvian MP was also investigated for inciting hatred after he used Russian in a speech in parliament last month.