Odessa Theater 'Masks' Fined for Russian Language Use
Violations were identified in the theater staff's communication with visitors in Russian, the sale of actors' books in Russian, and Russian-language content on the theater's social media accounts.
Consensus
- The Odessa theater 'Masks' was penalized for using the Russian language in its operations.
- The penalties were issued by Ukraine's Ombudsman for the Protection of the State Language.
- The violations included Russian-language signage, social media content, and staff communication with visitors in Russian.
- The theater had already been fined 17,000 hryvnias in March for similar language violations.
- The theater sold Russian-language literature and did not offer Ukrainian-language books for sale.
- The theater removed or replaced Russian-language signs during the inspection.
- Russian-language content in social media and audio was re-verified within a year after the initial inspection.
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky signed a law in June excluding Russian from the list of protected languages under the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages.
Points of divergence
- One employee of the cultural institution spoke with visitors in Russian, and signs were on the 'non-state language'. — vm
- The theater did not have Ukrainian-language literature available for sale. — m24
- Former Prime Minister of Ukraine, Mykola Azarov, claimed that the entire Kyiv leadership speaks only in Russian, accusing Zelensky of hypocrisy. — vm
- The theater was founded by members of a famous Odessa comedy troupe known for 'Masks Show' and 'Kalamбур' TV projects in the late 90s to early 2000s. — m24
- The Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova called the law 'neo-Nazism in action'. — m24
Coverage (2 sources)
- Odessa's 'Masks' Theater fined for Russian language signage — Вечерняя Москва
- Odessa theater "Masks" fined for use of Russian language — Москва 24