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One-third of young Ukrainians still using Russian in everyday communications

The share of young Ukrainian citizens speaking both Russian and Ukrainian at home makes up 25%

KIEV, November 29. /TASS/. The number of Ukrainians in the age group of 14 to 29 years old who use the Russian language in everyday communications and at home is reducing and makes up 30% of the total young population at present, shows an opinion poll the Ukrainian branch of GfK opinion research group released this week.

"On the whole, a half of young Ukrainians speak Ukrainian at home, one-third speak Russian and about one-fifth [18%] speak both Russian and Ukrainian," the report says. The share of young Ukrainian citizens speaking both Russian and Ukrainian at home makes up 25%

"This proves the number of young people using Ukrainian as the main language in everyday communications is growing compared with 2010 when the number of Ukrainians using Ukrainian at home stood at 30% and outside the family circle, 23%," the analysts say.

The intensity of usage of one or another language in Ukraine depends on the region. Ukrainian is the traditional language for communications at home in the northern [73%], western [93%] and central [53%] regions.

Russian is used by 50% young Ukrainians in Kiev, 63% in southern regions and 84% in eastern regions.

The poll was taken in the summer of 2017 among 2,000 respondents in the age group of 14 to 29 years old.

Following the state coup of February 2014, the new authorities launched an overwhelming Ukrainization of society. For instance, a law that took effect last month introduces quotas for languages at TV channels and requires that they broadcast al live shows in Ukrainian and also dub films and series.

At present, the channels can air shows in Russian or any other non-Ukrainian language at night when the quotas do not apply.

At the end of September, President Pyotr Poroshenko signed a revised law on education, which stipulates that the instruction process can be done in the Ukrainian language only. Before 2020 all the languages of ethnic minorities including Russian will be taught only through Grade 5, and all the instruction process as of Grade 6 and upwards will be switched over to Ukrainian.

Poland, Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, Hungary, and Russia have leveled sharp criticism at the law. PACE said on October 12 the law would put up obstacles for education of members of ethnic minorities.