The Drohobych City Council has introduced a moratorium on the public use of Russian-language cultural products within the territory of the Drohobych municipal territorial community. The corresponding decision was adopted unanimously at a regular session on 6 August.
The decision stresses that the ban is aimed at protecting the Ukrainian information space from hybrid influences and preventing the use of the aggressor state’s language as a tool for creating threats to Ukraine’s national security.
The issue was brought to the agenda by a recent conflict in the community. While on holiday, a group of internally displaced persons was playing Russian-language music at high volume. When local teenagers made a remark, they reportedly reacted aggressively, using obscene language and threats. The incident quickly attracted widespread attention in the information space.
Following this, the leadership of the Drohobych community, veterans’ organisations and active residents publicly declared that Russian-language content has no place in Ukrainian communities. The local Council on Internally Displaced Persons also expressed its position: its representatives took part in the session and read out an official appeal on protecting and strengthening the Ukrainian language, national identity and social unity in the Drohobych MTC.
In the appeal, the community’s new residents, who are members of the IDP Council and are integrating into the life of Drohobych, publicly condemned the behaviour of those who listened to Russian-language music and clashed with young people.
“The public playing of Russian music, obscene language, threats and aggression in response to teenagers’ remarks, as well as voicing anti-Ukrainian narratives, are absolutely unacceptable. We, as representatives of the IDP community of the Drohobych community, condemn such behaviour. It does not matter where a person was born, because first and foremost we are all citizens of one State. We are united by shared values and a common struggle against the enemy – Russia, because we all aspire to live in a strong, independent and democratic Ukraine”
The appeal at the session was read out by the head of the IDP Council, Iryna Predeus, the mother of a fallen defender of Ukraine. She also expressed her gratitude for the work the community is doing to provide shelter and support to forcibly displaced persons.
In the document, the IDP Council proposed a number of steps to strengthen the integration of displaced persons and reduce tensions in society. In particular, it refers to the need to:
- step up measures for the comprehensive integration of internally displaced persons into community life;
- ensure systematic coverage of positive IDP success stories;
- help de-escalate conflicts and reduce social tensions;
- consider the possibility of developing and implementing a local programme of national-patriotic and civic education for children and young people;
- continue to support the integration of IDP children into the local educational environment;
- work out incentive mechanisms that will encourage IDP families to take an active part in community life.
The appeal also underlines the importance of educational integration, employment and systematic awareness-raising work with internally displaced persons in the community.
The Mayor of Drohobych, Taras Kuchma, stated that the incident that occurred in the community is unacceptable. According to him, the Drohobych City Council has already sent an appeal to the relevant authorities demanding that those responsible be brought to criminal justice.
Under the adopted decision, a moratorium is introduced on the territory of the Drohobych municipal territorial community on the public use of Russian-language cultural products created and/or used with the help of the Russian language, in any form. The moratorium will remain in force until the complete cessation of the Russian Federation’s armed aggression against Ukraine.