Ukraine’s Fight Against Russian Culture Continues
Despite documenting over 150,000 alleged war crimes committed by Russian forces since 2022, a significant minority of Ukrainians remains reluctant to cut cultural ties with Russia. This is making Ukraine‘s decolonization efforts more difficult.
According to estimates, between 15-30% of Ukrainians still prefer the Russian language and culture. Anton Drobovych, a former head of the Ukrainian Institute of National Memory, said this in an interview. He believes that people who hold onto Russian culture often want to find compromises and make it seem normal in Ukraine.
This reluctance can be a problem for Ukraine’s justice efforts. By distancing from Russian culture, people can reject the idea that violence is okay. Drobovych also thinks that people who are hesitant to give up Russian culture could become supporters of pro-Russian politicians.
A recent survey found that two-thirds of Ukrainians support removing the Russian language from official communication. The same survey showed that 58% of respondents no longer think Russia is necessary for Ukraine. In 2023, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a law to condemn and ban the propaganda of Russian imperial policy in Ukraine.
Local governments have been given six months to remove symbols of the Russian empire from public spaces, dismantle monuments, and rename streets. This effort aims to decolonize Ukraine’s culture and topography.