Two narratives are circulating in cyberspace, both intensely promoted, aimed at discrediting the Kiev leadership internationally, which Putin does not even recognize. You have surely heard rumors that the rights of national minorities in Ukraine are being restricted and that Romanian-language schools are being closed due to a new law proposed by the Verkhovna Rada (the name of Ukraine's legislative body) and signed by President Zelensky. This topic has been heavily covered on conspiracy or "sovereignist" websites over the past two years. These falsehoods fuel Romanian citizens' hatred towards Ukrainians, which manifests itself in aggressive language in online comments on news stories about Ukraine. The source of these narratives remains the press, which is obedient to Putin's regime.
As mentioned above, the disinformation created by the army of pro-Putin followers and trolls focuses on two basic narratives: 1) the violation of the rights of national minorities; and 2) "Ukrainization" of national minorities through the mandatory introduction of the Ukrainian language in educational institutions in national minority communities.
The topic of the language spoken in Ukraine—Ukrainian—is not a new one for Kremlin propagandists. Even though, upon gaining independence, the Ukrainian state specified Ukrainian as the official language in its Constitution, in reality, Ukrainians spoke Russian, including in public institutions. In 2012, the Verkhovna Rada adopted a bill granting the languages of national minorities, including Russian, the status of regional languages. The Kremlin subsequently used this provision as a pretext for its 2014 aggression in the eastern regions of Ukraine and the illegal annexation of Crimea, presenting itself propagandistically as "defender” Russian-speaking communities in Ukraine. Following these bloody events, in the years that followed, the Kiev legislature proposed a series of changes regarding the Ukrainian language. For example, in 2016, radio and TV stations, including advertising, had to broadcast in the official language.
Fig. 1. Russian propaganda exploits statements made by Ruslan Stefanchuk, the Speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, taken out of context, to promote the false narrative that Ukraine systematically discriminates against the Russian minority and limits its rights, even though Ukrainian legislation and European positions legitimately exclude the Russian language and identity from minority protection, given the Russian Federation's aggression.
Source: Gazeta.ru
Other proposals were made in 2019, when the use of the Ukrainian language became mandatory in all public institutions. After the military invasion in February 2022, the Rada proposed a law that gave fewer rights to national minorities. Thus, due to Kiev's desire to escape Russian influence, other national minorities were indirectly affected by the effects of the new law. Following criticism from UN commissioners, the Rada proposed new amendments in compliance with the Venice Convention, which Ukraine had committed to respect. Despite these facts, Russian propaganda continued to misinform and manipulate by fabricating messages that reflected the dissatisfaction of some citizens in European countries, such as Romania and Hungary. Thus, some Romanian journalists and politicians, who sympathize with the policies of Russia's dictatorial regime, used these messages to create discord and polarize Romanian society on the basis of a false controversy. This campaign is not an isolated one, but part of a hybrid strategy broader measures through which Russia seeks, in the long term, to undermine the military, logistical, and political support provided to Ukraine by European Union and NATO member states. By exploiting sensitivities related to national identity, minorities, and good neighborly relations, the Kremlin is attempting to erode the internal cohesion of European states and fragment Western consensus on support for Ukraine.
Why are the new amendments so disturbing to Putin's regime? The amendments to the law specify the cases in which minority rights may be restricted on Ukrainian territory. Specifically, a clause has been added to the law stating that "the rights and freedoms of representatives of national minorities may be restricted in the interests of national security, territorial integrity, and public order, in the prevention of conflicts or crimes, with the aim of protecting the health and safety of the population”. Nothing surprising or unusual in the context of a country that has been at war for 11 years.
This latter narrative is circulating increasingly intensely online in Romania, in the form of falsehoods that provoke outrage and hatred, without the information even being verified. There can be no question of the "Ukrainization" of Romanians in Ukraine. According to Article 6 of the new Law No. 2827-IX Regarding national minorities, following the adoption of amendments on August 13, 2023, the language of national minorities must be used on Ukrainian territory alongside the official language in relations with local authorities and in educational institutions. Thus, the law does not require ethnic minorities to communicate only in Ukrainian, but only in relation to state institutions.. Personally, I believe it is normal for national minorities to know the language, culture, and traditions of the country where they were born. Based on these legislative specifications, the far right in Romania has constructed a false narrative that Ukraine prohibits the teaching of the Romanian language in Romanian communities. This is a falsehood intended to fuel hatred towards our neighbors. In addition, it should be noted that in 2023, at the request of the Romanian authorities, Ukraine renounced the recognition of the so-called "Moldovan language," which is no longer taught in schools and has been replaced by Romanian.
Fig. 2. The article published by Ziaristi Online repackages an old case of administrative restructuring of Ukrainian radio as "persecution" of Romanian journalists in Chernivtsi, presenting it in an emotional -nationalist tone as proof of the "liquidation" of Romanianism in Bukovina – a classic propaganda narrative designed to inflame historical resentments and fuel Romanian hatred towards Ukraine.
Source: Ziariști Online
Currently, there are 213 schools in Ukraine where education is provided in a language other than the state language. In particular, 67 schools teach in Hungarian, 73 in Romanian, 3 in Polish, 1 in German. After the Russian invasion, there is officially only one school in the Dnipro region where Russian is still taught. Of these 73 educational institutions where Romanian is taught, 10 of these institutions (approximately 2,261 students) are located in the Zakarpattia region, 47 in the Chernivtsi region, and 16 schools are located in the Odessa region, where, before 2023, classes were taught in "Moldovan."
Along with the implementation New Ukrainian Schools (Нова Українська Школа – НУШ), launched in 2018 as a national education reform program and aligned with EU standards, specialized high schools for studying in the languages of national minorities have also been introduced. Currently, even under wartime conditions, there are four high schools in the region that teach in Romanian—in Chernivtsi, Hlyboka, Hertsaiv, and Ostrytska. According to Suspilne.mediaNine other high schools will offer bilingual education in Ukrainian and Romanian (Mamalyhivska, Novoselytska, Magalska, Tarashanska, Hlybotska, Krasnoyilska, Petrovetska, Storozhynetska, and Chudeyska). Obviously, there are difficulties throughout the Ukrainian education system, not just in Romanian-language schools, mainly related to a lack of financial resources and safety conditions. However, these real problems are exploited for propaganda purposes, being turned into pretexts for fabricating false content that fuels the discontent of the Romanian community there.
In conclusion, the new law on national minorities, adopted by the Verkhovna Rada at the end of 2023, aligns with European standards, complying with both the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and the Council of Europe's Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The fact that Romanian continues to be taught in schools in Romanian communities in Ukraine, alongside measures to extend freedoms for Hungarian minorities, demonstrates a consistent effort to harmonize domestic legislation with European norms and to strengthen good neighborly relations with EU member states. It is significant that these improvements do not include the Russian language, given its instrumental role in the Kremlin's efforts to destabilize Ukraine. It is precisely this distinction that explains why Russian propaganda continues to fabricate false narratives on the subject: the goal is not to protect minority rights, but to fuel tensions, fracture European consensus, and undermine political, military, and logistical support for Ukraine. Essentially, the legislation reflects the maturation of the Ukrainian state in the process of European integration, while Moscow's virulent reaction confirms the use of the minority issue solely as an informational weapon in a broader hybrid war.
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By Diana Moraru, expert Digital Forensic Team in strategic communication and pedagogy
