Russian propaganda writes about ‘language patrols’ that local authorities are going to introduce in Ivano-Frankivsk. They say that the city first met refugees with increased prices for rented apartments, and now they will forbid them from communicating in Russian. The propaganda also adds that in this way ‘Nazi practices’ are being restored in Ukraine.

However, the propagandists presented the information in a distorted manner. In Ivano-Frankivsk, they really proposed to create so-called ‘language patrols’, initiated by the mayor of Ivano-Frankivsk, Ruslan Martsinkiv. At the same time, this is not about some ‘Nazi practices’, but about popularizing the study of the Ukrainian language, as well as about compliance with Ukrainian legislation, according to which the Ukrainian language is mandatory in all spheres of public life. The legislation does not apply to the sphere of personal communication or religion. Moreover, it does not provide for any criminal liability for violating its norms.

Martsinkiv himself explained that such patrols will tolerantly make comments when using Russian and offer to attend language courses. He also said that this will be a volunteer initiative, and the volunteers will not have any special powers, they will not punish violators.

Taras Kremin, the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, commented on this initiative, noting that Ivano-Frankivsk was the only regional center that did not have a language program, so the mayor can create working groups that will monitor compliance with language legislation. At the same time, Kremin noted that the choice of the name of such a program is of great importance: “The component that I would like to dwell on is very important. Despite the fact that such work will be carried out, it is important to correctly name such working groups. Since Ruslan Martsinkiv called such associations language inspections, Russian propaganda began to spread disinformation, saying that citizens of Ukraine will be persecuted on the basis of language”.

Russian propaganda manipulates information to justify the need to protect the rights of the Russian-speaking population and wage war against Ukraine. Previously, we documented the fake, saying that Zelenskyi started a war against the Russian-speaking population of Donbas.