Serhiy Zhadan explains why it is incorrect and even dangerous to say "Russian-speaking Ukrainians"

Ukrainian poet and novelist Serhiy Zhadan, frontman of the rock band Zhadan and the Dogs, explained why we should not say "Russian-speaking Ukrainians." In his opinion, this term is incorrect.

The poet shared his thoughts in an interview with Yanina Sokolova. Serhiy Zhadan believes that this phrase should be abandoned.

He explained that when we use the phrase "Russian-speaking Ukrainian," we primarily mean that the person does not speak Ukrainian, does not speak it, and takes Ukrainian as a foreign language. "Most of us are at least bilingual. And even if a person speaks Russian, it doesn't mean that they don't know Ukrainian," said the guest (to see it, scroll to the bottom of the page).

Serhiy Zhadan believes that in this way we "automatically cut off the Ukrainian language, which is there anyway." "Maybe it's not very actualized, maybe it's not very publicized, maybe it's not very developed, but it's there," he adds. The poet emphasizes that everyone should be given a chance and at least use this term.

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