You're reading: Russia Profile: Language wars

Tensions in Ukraine have once again escalated as the country’s Parliament approved a controversial bill that would give the Russian language official status on a regional level. The move, which critics slammed as premeditated and intentionally politicized on the part of the ruling party, doesn’t just highlight Ukraine’s difficult cultural-linguistic divide, but also showcases what experts say is President Viktor Yanukovich’s reckless and clumsy tumble toward authoritarianism.

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