Maria Burmaka on Language Regression: Why Ukrainians are Speaking Russian Again

Ukrainians are increasingly returning to the Russian language, as noted by singer Maria Burmaka. She emphasized that during the war, many people initially switched to Ukrainian, but now they are speaking Russian again. This, according to her, indicates that some citizens have 'rolled back history' due to the invasion.

«This is when, as I have already said, many people, realizing where the rockets are coming from, initially switched to the Ukrainian language, but now have rolled back history. It's one situation if a person speaks Russian at home, in everyday life – that is their conscience. It’s a completely different matter when this happens demonstratively in the public space,»

According to Burmaka, many people are just waiting to see how events will unfold without supporting Ukraine. These people, in the singer's opinion, are demonstrating their Russian language to those around them without supporting Ukraine's victory.

«Then you start to understand how many of these 'waiters' or 'onlookers,' or whatever else to call them… These are all those who sit and simply observe how everything will end. They do not wish for Ukraine's victory; they are just frozen and looking to see where the pendulum will swing. And just in case, they are practicing their Russian and showing those around them that they have not forgotten the 'language of Pushkin',»

Maria Burmaka stressed that no one pressured Russian-speaking citizens, but it is often the speakers of the Russian language who pressure Ukrainian-speaking individuals. She noted that it is important to uphold the right to speak Russian, but not to forget about respecting the language rights of Ukrainians.

«Some explain their use of Russian by saying they do not want to be pressured. But this is not true. Because no one is really pressuring anyone. It is the speakers of our enemy's language who press others. They are the intolerant ones. And they have never been tolerant. They are the main lever of pressure on all Ukrainian speakers. And now such people are starting to raise their heads. Yes, it pains me to think that they do not believe that Ukraine will remain Ukrainian. But the existence of such people – this is no longer a regret; this is a threat,»

In Maria Burmaka's speech, there is a serious concern about the influence of the Russian-speaking population on the language situation in Ukraine. The singer calls for attention and caution, highlighting the negative influence of some speakers of the Russian language on Ukrainian society.