Putin has done the worst damage to the Russian language - Zelenskyy

DENYS KARLOVSKYI - SUNDAY, MARCH 27, 2022, 20:41

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy believes that Russian President Vladimir Putin and his armed aggression against Ukraine have done the greatest damage to the popularity and attractiveness of the Russian language in the world.

Source: Interview of Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Russian journalists

Quote by Zelenskyy: "Everyone’s attitude, the population’s attitude (towards Russians - ed.) has worsened. There is irreversibility. In 2014, when it all began, Russian-speaking areas, or Russian-speaking families, all felt the hope that ‘this all is just about to be over’. 

That, ‘Now it will end, but a lot of misunderstandings happened, and for many years it has just increased,’ and so on.

And some of these families still believed that ‘something, somehow’ was still ‘possible’ without specifics, because of the war. And there was definitely an understanding that ‘something is needed somehow.’

Today, throughout this month, a global-historical, cultural cleavage has occurred. Worldwide. This is not the war. I think everything is much worse.

But the deep level of disappointment is that a huge percentage of the population (of Russia - ed.) supports (Russia's actions in Ukraine - ed.). This is the worst disappointment that has happened. Disappointment that turned into hatred of the people.

I am okay with speaking to you (in the Russian language - ed.). And when someone speaks Russian to me in Ukraine, I switch to Russian without any problem. I am the president, and I believe that the way the president behaves means that people support this behaviour. They are okay with it. 

But hatred for everything Russian will grow, definitely. Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin did the worst for the Russian language. I think the harm is huge.

Of course, people will be ashamed to speak Russian in some societies outside of Russia. It will be like that.

This happened after one or another war, the result of which is to define a specific aggressor in the world. 

For many years, it will definitely be devastating damage. Here are these cities, Russian-speaking families, who could have any connection (possible relations with Russia - ed.), then you understand - that cities and that families were erased from the face of the earth. 

Regarding the demand of Russians to recognise Russian as the official language in Ukraine. People don't want that. People do not want to read, watch movies, or talk (in Russian - ed,). I'm just saying what they (such requirements - ed.) result in. When something is too much - it goes back."

Details: Zelenskyy also believes that the actions and behaviour of the Russian aggressors in the occupied cities is fuelling hatred. He said the invaders kidnapped members of local authorities if they refused to collaborate. If civilians oppose the occupation at mass rallies, the Russian army uses ‘scorched earth’ tactics.

The President compared the brutality of the Russian occupiers to what German troops' occupation during World War II was like.

He explained that the Nazis tried to maintain at least a certain level of understanding with the local population in order to get food and hygiene from them. According to Zelenskyy, there is nothing like this with the Russian occupation of Ukrainian lands, and there is just total terror and destruction.

Zelenskyy also admitted that he had hoped at the beginning of his presidential term for a possible ‘normalisation’ of relations with Russia in a certain way. And in pursuit of this policy he tried to exchange prisoners with the Kremlin, achieve a ceasefire in the Donbas and begin negotiations on ‘normalisation.’

But after the full-scale invasion of Russia on February 24, he abandoned all attempts to establish relations and lost any sentimental feelings he might have had towards the Russian state and the Russian people.

Background: 

In his video of March 26, Zelenskyy stated that Russia, through all its actions, was promoting the rapid de-Russification of Ukraine. He gave an example, describing how the occupiers had placed a banner saying ‘Do not be afraid to speak Russian,’ in one of the occupied territories, causing anger and disgust in its residents.

Putin and the Russian authorities are demanding that the Ukrainian government promote the use of the Russian language in education, public administration, law, the military, etc., and recognise it as the second official language in Ukraine.