Majority Russian-speaking city in Ukraine considers language ban in the arts

Odesa, Ukraine's third-largest city located on the Black Sea coast, is set to hold a vote this week on a proposal to ban Russian in public spaces and the arts. The controversial plan would add to existing restrictions on Russian imposed by national legislation and is particularly significant as Odesa is overwhelmingly Russian-speaking. However, the ban would not affect everyday usage of Russian, which remains the first language for millions of Ukrainians, including many troops defending the country in its war with Russia.

The proposal would ban Russian-language content in music, literature, streets, parks, public institutions, and state-run entertainment venues, as well as recommend a ban in privately owned spaces. It would also remove Russian-language books from public libraries and prohibit Russian-language songs in public places. This move has provoked strong passions in the city, known for its Russian-language writers and musicians.

Odesa lawyer Artem Kartashov, who has advised local authorities on a program to "decolonize" the city's Russian legacy, argues that Russian is a weapon of Russia and needs to be addressed. However, comedian Borys Barsky, a well-known entertainer in Odesa, contends that Russian isn't just the language of Putin, it's also the language of great Ukrainian writers like Dostoyevsky and Bulgakov, and questions who benefits from setting people against each other who love Ukraine deeply but in different languages.

The ban has its supporters and opponents. Anna Nerush, Odesa's state-appointed language ombudswoman, believes the proposal will put pressure on private entities to comply, as all businesses interact with local government in one way or another. Meanwhile, anthropologist Anastasia Piliavsky, who works with a group defending freedom of thought and speech, believes that making Russian-speakers feel like second-class citizens deprived of their language is not democratic and could harm Ukraine's future.