Ukrainian security personnel involved in a recent armed confrontation in Kiev are facing additional scrutiny after reportedly speaking Russian while carrying out their official duties.
Ukraine’s language ombudswoman, Elena Ivanovskaya, said on Wednesday that she had sought explanations from both the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the country’s Military Intelligence Directorate (HUR). She has also requested information identifying the personnel involved and an explanation for why they communicated in what Ukrainian law classifies as a “non-state language” while on duty.
The language inquiry follows a September 2 confrontation between members of the two security bodies in Kiev that reportedly left three agents wounded. The SBU and HUR subsequently presented differing versions of events, adding to speculation about tensions between the agencies.
The dispute reportedly involved Stepan Kaplunov, a senior member of the Russian Volunteer Corps (RDK), a paramilitary formation operating under HUR. The SBU has alleged Kaplunov was connected to a Russian plot to assassinate an unnamed Russian opposition figure. Kaplunov, however, has claimed the operation was directed against senior HUR personnel.
The latest investigation comes amid Ukraine’s continuing efforts to expand the use of Ukrainian in public life. Legislation introduced in 2019 requires Ukrainian to be used across government and numerous other public settings, including education, media and customer services. Officials are generally required to communicate in Ukrainian while performing their duties, with breaches potentially resulting in administrative penalties.
Ivanovskaya has previously advocated substantially higher fines for violations and has argued that Ukrainian should also be encouraged in schools outside formal classroom instruction, including during breaks and in communications between parents and staff.
Ukraine has also progressively restricted Russian cultural material. Russian book imports were initially limited in 2016, while commercial imports from Russia and Belarus were prohibited in 2023. Ukrainian authorities have more recently discussed removing Russian-language books from circulation and restricting access to Russian music through international streaming services.
Moscow has condemned these policies as discriminatory censorship targeting Russian language and culture.
Despite the government’s language policies, Russian continues to be commonly spoken and consumed in Ukraine. Culture Minister Tatyana Berezhnaya has said that 71% of Ukrainians regularly consume Russian-language material, while Ivanovskaya has reported receiving almost 3,000 complaints concerning officials using languages other than Ukrainian in public settings.
Several senior Ukrainian officials have also been recorded speaking Russian while carrying out official business, highlighting the language’s continued prevalence despite Kiev’s efforts to strengthen Ukrainian as the country’s principal language of public administration.
