War in Ukraine: in Odessa, Russian heritage, language and culture no longer have their place

Published on : 17/02/2023 – 12:15Modified : 17/02/2023 – 12:18

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Ukraine: in Odessa, “derussification” is underway © France24

The Russian invasion, which has been going on for almost a year, has many repercussions on Ukrainian society. While it is often used by Vladimir Putin to legitimize the invasion, the Russian language is gradually losing ground to the benefit of Ukrainian. In the public space, symbols linked to the Russian Empire or the USSR are increasingly decried. Literature, music, art… culture is particularly affected by the phenomenon of “derussification”, which continues to grow. Report from Odessa, a city in southern Ukraine, long attached to the Russian language and culture.