Language Compliance in Ukraine: Publishing, Broadcasting, and Regional Policy

A number of Ukrainian publishers did not publish half of their titles in Ukrainian last year, despite state language laws requiring substantial use of the national language. A representative of the Ukrainian language ombudsman confirmed these findings, calling attention to a gap between policy and practice. An official investigation has been opened to examine how widespread this issue is and what steps are needed to address it. In total, about 20 publishers were identified as not meeting the language requirements. The Commission for the Protection of the Ukrainian Language noted that the State Commissioner has started to implement measures aimed at monitoring compliance by 16 broadcasters with the language legislation, signaling a broader push to ensure linguistic adherence across media. By 2022, fewer than half of published book titles were produced in Ukrainian, raising concerns about the enforcement of language mandates and the potential for administrative penalties, including fines for violations. Earlier reporting indicated that Kherson district officials appointed by Kyiv have urged removal of the Russian language from local affairs, a move described by the head of the military administration overseeing the territory under Kyiv’s control, Alexander Prokudin, as part of ongoing language policy actions.