Propaganda sources claim that the “Kyiv authorities” are allegedly using “coercive” measures to force schoolchildren to speak Ukrainian not only during lessons but also during breaks. In reality, Ukrainian legislation provides for no fines whatsoever for children using foreign languages in private conversations. The law on the state language does not interfere with religious ceremonies or personal communication. This fake claim was debunked by experts at StopFake.

There are no sanctions in Ukraine for using the Russian language in personal communication. The Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language” does not prohibit the use of any language of choice in private conversations.

Ukraine’s language law regulates the use of Ukrainian as the sole state language “in the exercise of powers by state authorities and local self-government bodies, as well as in other public spheres of social life” (Article 1, Paragraph 7). The law does not apply to religious ceremonies or interpersonal communication, as explicitly stated in a separate provision of Article 2. Nor do any other Ukrainian legal acts contain “bans” on the use of Russian in private conversations.

At the same time, there is a draft law, No. 13072 of 11 March 2025, proposing amendments to certain laws regarding language use in the educational process. Russian propaganda frequently cites this document as evidence of alleged “repressive measures” in Ukrainian education. The draft legislation would introduce mechanisms allowing teachers to require students to use the state language within educational institutions. However, the text contains no provisions whatsoever regarding fines for children. Moreover, the draft law has remained under consideration in the Verkhovna Rada since March 2025 and has not yet been put to a first-reading vote.

In an interview with Alla Mazur, Ukraine’s Minister of Education and Science, Oksen Lisovyi emphasised that no fines for students exist in educational institutions. The primary goal of schools is not to punish children but to guarantee their language rights and foster a sustainable, fully functioning Ukrainian-language environment.