Zelensky issued a decree to preserve the national identity of Ukrainians in Russia

By Decree No 17/2024, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has instructed the government to develop an action plan to preserve the national identity of Ukrainians in the Russian Federation. This was reported on the Ukrainian presidential website on 22 January.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed a decree on the territories historically inhabited by Ukrainians within the Krasnodar region, Belgorod, Bryansk, Voronezh, Kursk, Rostov regions of the Russian Federation.

The decree notes that Russia over the centuries has systematically committed and continues to commit acts aimed at destroying the national identity, oppressing Ukrainians, violating their rights and freedoms, including on the historically inhabited lands in Kuban, Starodubshchina, Northern and Eastern Slobozhanshchina.

It is noted that Russia violates the rights of Ukrainians to receive education in the Ukrainian language and its free use, civil, social, cultural and religious rights, the right of access to Ukrainian-language mass media.

The decree instructs the Cabinet of Ministers to develop an action plan to preserve the national identity of Ukrainians in the Russian Federation, including on the lands historically inhabited by them.

It also instructed to step up efforts to counter disinformation and propaganda by the Russian Federation regarding the history and present of Ukrainians in Russia and all the peoples enslaved by it.

In addition, Ukraine will collect facts and evidence of crimes committed against Ukrainians in Russian territories historically inhabited by ethnic Ukrainians.