Russian-speaking Odesa considers banning Russian in the arts

In Odesa, a city known for Russian-language writers, musicians and songs, councillors are considering a ban on Russian-language content in public arts and cultural spaces. The decision is expected this week, and the proposal has stirred strong passions in Ukraine’s third-largest city.

The measure would halt Russian-language music and literature in streets, parks, public institutions and state-run arts and entertainment venues. It would recommend extending the restriction to privately owned spaces. Public libraries would remove Russian-language books from display, although the books could remain in their collections. Familiar old Odesa songs, known across much of the former Soviet Union, would also be affected in public spaces.

“

The Russian language is a weapon of Russia, and we need to try to fix that

The proposal is especially significant because Odesa is overwhelmingly Russian-speaking. Everyday use of Russian would remain legal, and the measure would concern public cultural content rather than ordinary conversations. Millions of Ukrainians speak Russian as their first language, including troops defending the country against Russia.

Odesa lawyer Artem Kartashov, who advised local authorities on a programme to “decolonise” the city’s historic Russian legacy, supports the move. “The Russian language is a weapon of Russia, and we need to try to fix that,” he said. He argued that Russian-language music and other cultural material can influence young people and weaken Ukrainian identity.

“

Russian isn't [only] the language of Putin, it's the language of [writers like] Dostoyevsky and Bulgakov

Comic actor Borys Barsky, one of Odesa’s best-known entertainers, opposes the proposal. “Russian isn't [only] the language of Putin, it's the language of [writers like] Dostoyevsky and Bulgakov,” he said. “Who benefits from setting people against other people who love Ukraine just as deeply, only love it in a different language? Only Putin benefits from this.”

The debate takes place alongside national language rules adopted in 2019, which require Ukrainian in many public and professional settings. Workers such as waiters, shop assistants and doctors must initially address customers or patients in Ukrainian, although they can switch to Russian if requested. The article also notes that President Volodymyr Zelenskyy grew up speaking Russian but now uses Ukrainian in public.

“

Who benefits from setting people against other people who love Ukraine just as deeply, only love it in a different language? Only Putin benefits from this