Sunday, June 3, 2007

Russian schools in Ukraine to be opened at request of parents

Deputy Chief of the Kyiv State Administration Vitaliy Zhuravskyi commented on a statement of representative of the Regions Party Vadym Kolesnychenko, aired in Moscow, Russia at a conference on status of the Russian language abroad, suggesting that Ukraine faces huge and total derusification and violation of rights of people, who believe Russian to be their native language.

According to Zhuravskyi 45,300 pupils in Kyiv schools learn the Russian language. It means that only 15% of pupils in Kyiv learn Russian.

Zhurvaskyi also said that this figure is likely to be increased in case parents demand this.

Notably, Vitaliy Kolesnychenko said in Moscow that circa 130 Russian schools are being closed down in Ukraine, annually. The MP addressed the EU, requesting to assist people, speaking Russian in Ukraine.