Реалізація мовної політики в Україні на законодавчому рівні: наслідки та перспективи

This article analyzes the main features of Ukraine's state language policy during its period of independence. Ensuring the linguistic interests of society is a key issue of national security for the state. Therefore, the vector of state measures aimed at regulating language relations among various social groups indicates whether the policy of the ruling elite strengthens or weakens the state by balancing or destabilizing the situation in society. The implementation of state language policy in Ukraine is a multifaceted and long-term process that requires a balanced approach, consistency, and societal dialogue. Its success depends on the joint efforts of the state, the public, and every citizen interested in Ukraine's development and prosperity. The article outlines the main objectives of language policy, including ensuring a high level of Ukrainian language proficiency among civil servants, developing and implementing standards for professional terminology, and creating favorable conditions for popularizing the Ukrainian language among citizens. Significant attention is paid to the role of the state language as an instrument of national security, especially in the context of the reintegration of temporarily occupied territories. The article substantiates the strategic role of the Ukrainian language as a fundamental factor in preserving national identity, ensuring social harmony, and establishing statehood. It emphasizes that the increasing share of Ukrainian-language cultural products is an important indicator of the success of language policy implementation. The integrative function of the Ukrainian language, which promotes societal consolidation, modernization of social processes, and effective counteraction to external threats, is highlighted. The necessity of state regulation of language issues, legislative закреплення (consolidation) of the state language, and implementation of mechanisms for this policy at all levels of governance is proven. A number of concepts, such as "state language policy," "state regulation of language issues," and "mechanisms for forming and implementing language policy," are clarified. Thus, the article highlights key aspects of language policy development that are necessary to strengthen the position of the Ukrainian language as a central element of national self-determination.

Problem statement. Throughout the history of Ukraine's independence, the issue of language regulation has always played a particularly important role in society. After all, language is one of the main attributes of the sovereignty of every state. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Ukrainian state inherited not only the cultural values and language guidelines artificially imposed by the totalitarian regime, but also imperfect legislation in the field of state language policy, which ensured the dominance of the Russian language in Ukraine. The lack of a stable state language policy and conflicts in the legal field were often used by political groups in order to produce contradictory and hostile sentiments in Ukrainian society; distract society from economic and social problems; to provide a favorable basis for justifying further aggression by the Russian Federation in order to avoid legal liability under international law. In addition, in the current context of a hybrid war with Russia, the creation of a full-fledged legal framework in the field of language policy is of particular importance in the context of national security.The purpose of the article is to determine the role of each of the six presidents of Ukraine in the formation of language policy in terms of ensuring the proper functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language. The purpose of the article is realized through the following tasks: to study the regulations on ensuring the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language, which were developed during the term of each of the presidents of Ukraine, to analyze and organize them, to show a holistic picture of Ukraine's state language policy. based on the results of the study to form recommendations for its improvement.Main material. The article analyzes the activities of all presidents of independent Ukraine and outlines their role in the formation of Ukraine's language policy in 1991-2020. Three key laws and constitutional provisions are described, based on which normative legal acts in the sphere of functioning of the state and other languages in Ukraine were created. An attempt has been made to generalize the legal framework of these years to understand the direction of further work to improve the legal regulation of the language issue.Conclusions. The issue of language in Ukrainian statehood remains one of the most pressing. For almost thirty years of independent Ukraine, the state, in particular, and all six presidents have not completed the process of forming a holistic language policy that would allow the smooth functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state in all spheres of public life throughout Ukraine, while ensuring the coexistence of minority languages. in places of their compact residence.The development of Ukrainian language policy is inextricably linked to the general political process in Ukraine and the change in political cycles that occurs de jure and de facto after each presidential election. Thus, under L. Kravchuk, a gradual de-Russification began in education and other spheres of public life, which was caused by the restoration of independence and significant public demand.Later, during his election campaign in the South and East, where most Russian-speaking citizens live, Kuchma used the language issue. Although the Constitution of Ukraine was adopted during his term, in Article 10 of which the Ukrainian language is defined as the state language, most of the legal framework concerning the language has been formed, and de facto Ukrainian has not received all the declared rights.Mr. Yushchenko, who came to power thanks to the events of the Orange Revolution and large-scale processes of national revival, became hostage to the political situation at the time, forcing him to relinquish many of the powers of the President in favor of Parliament and Government. As a result, most of his initiatives to improve language policy have remained mere declarations, and misinterpretations of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages ratified in 2006 have led to a so-called parade of linguistic sovereignties in some parts of the country, which in turn exacerbated the language issue in Ukrainian society.With the coming to power of Viktor Yanukovych, the issue of returning the Russian language to all spheres of public life became his priority. The period of Viktor Yanukovych's presidency is characterized by rapid and decisive action to develop the relevant legislation. In 2012, the Law on the Principles of State Language Policy was adopted, which became a powerful basis for the return of Russification to all spheres of life. The adoption of the law caused a wave of discontent in society. It is believed that the struggle for the Ukrainian language was one of the impetus for the Revolution of Dignity and the overthrow of the regime of Viktor Yanukovych.The next political cycle, which began after the election of President Poroshenko, was marked by progress in the formation of the Ukrainian language as the state language, the expansion of its use. During his term, the Law on the Principles of State Language Policy was repealed, significant amendments were made to legislation related to the development of the Ukrainian language, and finally the Law on Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as the State Language was approved. the role of the Ukrainian language increased.However, with the coming to power of V. Zelensky, pro-Russian forces intensified, trying to undermine the status of the Ukrainian by proposing significant changes to the legislation, appealing to the decision of the Venice Commission. However, V. Zelensky believes that the issue of language in Ukraine is artificial.Thus, at the present stage, for the full functioning of language policy, the state needs to legislate the issue of determining the language rights of indigenous peoples and national minorities. At the same time, there is a need to finally form a holistic system of language legislation by eliminating contradictory and inconsistent norms of laws governing the use of languages in various spheres of state and public life.

The Ukrainian language is among the determining factors of the national identity of the Ukrainian people, shaped by the historical progress of an indomitable state in the center of Europe. With the beginning of the Russian-Ukrainian war, it became a marker of citizens’ self-awareness, a sign of unity and freedom, and a distinction between “own” and “foreign”. Instead, the state language policy evolved from a nominative ideological postulate, scattered in declarative documents, into a tangible set of tools for protecting human rights and freedoms and the country’s language system as a whole. Despite the long-term lack of consistent steps to protect the constitutional status of the state language, which led to the creation of numerous legislative initiatives, programs and strategies, including some of a threatening nature, real historical changes in the linguistic landscape of the state began only with the enactment of the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as a State Language” (2019). This law provided guaranteed protection for the Ukrainian language as the state language, as well as the rights of Ukrainian citizens to information and services in the state language throughout the entire territory of the country. In addition to effective mechanisms for the protection of the state language, the emergence of the main language institutions, namely: the State Language Protection Commissioner, the National Commission for State Language Standards, made state language policies tangible. Cultural ideology, language stability, and high public trust in the establishment of national priorities became evident. This is also noticeable at the level of regional language policy implementation, which, emerging from a state of challenges and dangers to a high degree of state activity, public support, and mass transition to the Ukrainian language, represents the true defense of the rights of indomitable citizens during the most extensive Ukrainization of the century.

The article examines the new language policy in Ukraine’s educational sphere, focusing on the implementation of the Law of Ukraine No. 3760-IX, “On the Use of the English Language in Ukraine.” The authors examine the legal, organizational, and sociocultural aspects of incorporating English as a language of international communication into the educational process. Particular attention is given to the Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 594 of May 23, 2025, which outlines a list of positions requiring English language proficiency. The article highlights the advantages of this approach, including increased academic mobility, access to international resources, and enhanced competitiveness among graduates. At the same time, it identifies systemic challenges, including staff shortages, unequal access to language education, regulatory ambiguity, and the lack of financial and methodological support mechanisms. The need for transitional provisions for current employees, state-funded upskilling programs, and differentiated language requirements is emphasized. The authors propose regulatory and institutional measures for effective policy implementation grounded in principles of inclusivity, continuity, and European integration. In conclusion, the article argues that the successful implementation of the new language policy is a crucial condition for modernizing Ukrainian education in the context of globalization and for enhancing the country’s position in the global academic and professional landscape.

The article provides a critical analysis of the leading ideas and fundamental principles of the social doctrine (teachings) of the Orthodox churches operating in Ukraine and interprets the key dominants and the specifics of their implementation of the strategic goals of the state language policy in Ukraine. The main aim is to investigate the problems of the reception of the state language strategy by Orthodox communities with different jurisdictions and to clearly clarify and justify the risks and dangers arising from the attitude to the language policy of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, which is under the canonical subordination of the Mosokovsky Patriarchate. As a result of the study, it was proved that the role and place of Orthodox communities in the implementation of the strategic goals of language policy in Ukraine is different. Their participation in the process of implementation of the state language policy is equally ambiguous, and even openly contradictory in terms of ideological and value orientation and methods of implementation. In the case of the activity of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate, it is subversive, anti-state, harmful and poses a threat to the national security of Ukraine. The material of the article has important theoretical and practical significance in view of the integral critical justification of the state language strategy of the UOC MP and OCU as dominant vector-oriented politically oriented Orthodox jurisdictions, which is actualized in the conditions of modern challenges and leading trends and, in particular, due to the need to implement the life of legal norms, defined by the Law of Ukraine "On the protection of the constitutional system in the sphere of activities of religious organizations".

Language policy (LP) in Ukraine has a political and historical context of unique complexity. This article is an attempt to offer an overview of LP in Ukraine between 1989-2019. Within the past 30 years we can identify different directions in state LP reflecting the complex linguistic situation and its fragile balance in the country. Such a complex linguistic situation served as a starting point of any LP activities maintained by the two great - almost equally supported - Ukrainophile and Russophile political camps. But during the nation state building process (after Ukraine gained independence in 1991), the LP and legislation aimed to regulate language use became more and more a target associated with the Russophile political regime, and consequently their days were numbered. After the Euromaidan revolution, Ukraine adopted several policies and laws in support of the Ukrainian language. The most important of them is the recent law “On ensuring the functioning of Ukrainian as the state language”, which greatly expands protection for Ukrainian throughout the territory. This law has been defined by its detractors as a “draconian law” which introduces the “total forced ukrainization”. But beyond legal disputes, the purpose of the law, even if not the only one, is to reverse centuries of Russification, which led to what some term the “linguicide” of the Ukrainian language. In addition to this, in the circumstances of conflict still ongoing between Russia and Ukraine, the support for the Ukrainian language is viewed by many as a national security issue. The article is enriched by sociological surveys conducted in the country over time showing how Ukrainians have supported recent changes in LP and language legislation.

The term roadmap has recently entered our lexicon, especially in the context of planning and implementing various projects. It is a detailed plan of action that defines the sequence of steps necessary to achieve a formulated goal. In the field of education, a roadmap is a kind of а guide for a scientific and pedagogical employee and a student, which helps to organize the learning process effectively. The purpose of the article is to share the experience of developing and conducting a practical lesson on a relevant topic, as well as to stimulate scientific and methodical discussions on effective methods of teaching the Ukrainian language in a professional context. Methods: pedagogical experiment, observation and recording, analysis of the obtained data, generalization. Results. In the article, the term ‘roadmap of a practical class’ is understood as amethodological tool aimed at ensuring the systematicity, logical consistency, andinteractivity of the educational process. It includes a description of all components of the lesson: from the formulation of the goal and the definition of expected results to instructions for completing tasks and assignments. The study is based on materials for creating the roadmap for the topic "Language Situation and Language Policy in Ukraine", which is one of the first in the list of topics for practical classes of theeducational component "Ukrainian Language for Professional Purposes". It provides for revealing key aspects of the Ukrainian language functioning in society, to form students' national-linguistic consciousness, and to develop their ability to critically evaluate linguistic phenomena.students' national-linguistic consciousness, and to develop their ability to critically evaluate linguistic phenomena. The proposed roadmap serves as a tool for creating a modern educationalenvironment that ensures the active participation of students in the learning process. Emphasis is laid on the development of critical thinking, the formation of linguistic stability, national-linguistic consciousness, and the awareness of the importance of the Ukrainian language as the state language in professional and everyday activities. Conclusions. The study's methodical findings contribute to the upbringing of aresponsible position regarding language processes, which is important for the preservation of national identity and the harmonious development of society.

The Zimbabwe government introduced a new language policy in education to change the colonial language policy seven years after attaining independence. So much was expected from the postcolonial language. The use of English as the media of instruction during the colonial era was problematic. It denied Africans to describe the world in their languages. Native languages were marginalized and neglected. Africans were robbed of their self-worth and identity. It is against this background that the Zimbabwean government African states after attaining independence and sovereignty pursued an agenda of linguistic decolonization. This paper evaluates the implementation of Zimbabwe's language policy after it gained independence from Britain in 1980. We argue that despite the claim by the Zimbabwe government that it is a revolutionary government which would completely overhaul all colonial structures, institutions, and policies, the implementation of the language policy is a continuity, rather a radical change. Colonial language policy fundamentals are intact and present in the current language policy. English is still the dominant language of instruction. Indigenous languages are considered inferior and on the verge of extinction. The policy failed where it matters most—decolonizing the mind. Zimbabwe needs a sound language policy in education to shake off vestiges of a colonial legacy, and allow children to go to school in their languages to achieve the overall goal of education for all. The language policy must be developed through a broad-based consultative process with specific implementation strategies and commitment by government and non-governmental agencies for funding its implementation.

The relevance of the research topic is determined by the necessity and complexity of implementing the principles of bilingual education in certain regions of the Russian Federation. At the present stage of development, the Russian Federation adheres to the principles of multiculturalism, multilingualism, multi-ethnicity, respect for national and cultural identity. In this regard, the experience gained by the Republic of Tatarstan in the implementation of a bilingual language policy is important. The wide coverage of the audience of different age of participants in the bilingual education programme, the variety of forms and methods of its implementation provide the authors with significant material for rendering the issue and making recommendations within the framework of the research problem. In the course of the work, the authors clarified the concept – the authors analysed the definition of the concept of “bilingualism”; summarised the best practices of the Republic of Tatarstan in the implementation of the language policy in various educational institutions of the Republic and in the field of out-of-school work. They classified the forms and methods of implementing this policy through social networks within the framework of the concept of bilingual youth policy of the Republic of Tatarstan. The research materials are of interest towards specialists on this issue, and can be widely used to improve the effectiveness of the implementation of bilingual language policy in the regions of the Russian Federation and worldwide.

The paper discusses the current state and the prospects of language planning and language policy in Ukraine from the perspective of their conformity with the European language ideologies, sociolinguistic principles and practical approaches. Since late 20th century language policy in Ukraine has been determined by the battle of two antagonistic language ideologies: 1) advocating the spread of Ukrainian into public spheres from which it was ousted or denied access to by the centuries of imperial domination and 2) conservation of colonial legacy accompanied by appeals to western-type liberal values of human rights and individual freedom. Under the pretext of implementing the principles of the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages pro-Russian political forces tried to impede the spread of Ukrainian into public life and to conserve the language situation caused by Russian assimilation policy. As a result, the reputation of the Charter in Ukraine was seriously damaged. Sociological surveys show that Ukrainian speakers prevail among those striving for the country’s membership in the EU and NATO, while those rejecting the prospects of the country’s Euro-Atlantic integration are mostly Russophones. Since the start of the full-scale military aggression of Russia against Ukraine the number of Ukrainian citizens shifting from Russian to Ukrainian in their daily intercourse is ever growing. Symbolically they distance themselves from the ideology of the so called Russian World and join the ranks of the supporters of either Ukrainian monolingualism or of bilingualism with the sufficient knowledge of the state language. There are indications that the feasibility of implementation of the Charter towards Russian and some other languages in Ukraine could be questioned. Yet taking into account that the Charter recognizes that protection of regional or minority languages should not be to the detriment of the official language or threaten territorial integrity of the country, there is no sound reason for its denunciation.

The article analyzes the impact of ethno-linguistic policy on the separatism and political instability in Ukraine. The article examines the current provisions of the legislation of Ukraine on the development of language policy, as well as the provisions of the latest Law on the status of the state language in Ukraine.Ukraine has severalspecific features from the linguistic point of view, they are: bilingualism, uneven distribution of Russian and Ukrainian languages on the territory of the country and in different sectors of the social sphere, as well as ethno-linguistic, social and socio-cultural polarization of the Western, Central and South-Eastern parts of the country.
 
 The Ukrainian language was recognized as the state languagein Ukraine in 1989. This preceded the signing of the Declaration on the State Independence of Ukraine in 1991. From that moment on, the Ukrainian language is considered a symbol of the new Ukraine. Raising the status of the Ukrainian language has become one of the central issues in the process of building an independent state. 
 
 The UN Security Council discussion in July 2019 on the language policy in Ukraine showed the world community's concern over the problem of ensuring the rights and freedoms of citizens and national minorities in Ukraine in connection with the adoption of the Law on the legal status of the state Ukrainian language and its use in education and public life.
 
 The analysis focuses on the trends in the development of language policy, which is the source of aggravation of social processes in the form of separatism and destabilization of modern Ukraine and attempts of its modern political regime to finally complete the reorientation from Russia to the West at the legislative language level.

Статья посвящена проблеме сохранения и развития языков народов Российской Федерации. Цель исследования – анализ состояния теоретико‑методологического обеспечения и мониторинга реализации образовательно‑языковой политики по сохранению и развитию родных языков и культур в регионах страны. Авторы признают остроту решения проблемы сохранения языков народов, его дискуссионный характер относительно качества нормативно‑правового обеспечения современной языковой политики, теоретико‑методологических оснований языкового образования, содержания, целей и способов его реализации. Даны результаты мониторинга по реализации языковой политики, проведенного в 29 регионах Российской Федерации. Даны результаты организации цикла общероссийских и межрегиональных информационных и практических мероприятий «Языки и культура народов России: сохранение и развитие». Результаты исследования позволили выделить проблемы в сфере реализации образовательно‑языковой политики (сопряженность многообразия форм и направлений мероприятий, направленных на сохранение языков, с их недостаточным уровнем теоретико‑методологи­че­ского обоснования, недостаточную системность в реализации задач национально‑языковой политики в практике общеобразовательной школы; неразработанность во многих субъектах РФ региональных стратегий, концепций развития этноязыкового образования и т. д.). В статье авторы определяют перспективные линии развития образовательно‑языковой политики: это определение современной концепции развития языкового (этнокультурного) образования, обоснование его целей и принципов и разработка вариативных моделей ее реализации, стратегическим ориентиром которого является формирование и укрепление гармоничного национально‑русского двуязычия, обеспечивается знание русского языка как государственного всем населением и поддерживается изучение национальных (этнических) языков народов России. Выделены ключевые принципы концепции развития языкового (этнокультурного, этноязыкового) образования: формирование и развитие полиязыковой компетентности обучающихся; сохранение и развитие языков и культур народов РФ как важного условия их интеграции в общероссийскую гражданскую нацию без ассимиляции; обеспечение подготовки и переподготовки педагогических работников, осуществляющих преподавание родного языка народов России в условиях поликультурного образовательного пространства. Результаты исследования могут быть использованы при выработке эффективных решений в области языкового образования (ценностно‑смысловых, содержательных, технологических) по вопросам сохранения и развития родных языков, на курсах повышения квалификации и переподготовки педагогических работников по вопросам совершенствования норм и условий полноценного функционирования и развития языков народов России. The article is devoted to the problem of preserving and developing the languages of the peoples of the Russian Federation. The purpose of the research is to analyze the state of theoretical and methodological support and monitoring of the implementation of educational and language policy for the preservation and development of native languages and cultures in the regions of the country. The authors recognize the urgency of solving the problem of preserving the languages of peoples, its debatable nature regarding the quality of legal support for modern language policy, theoretical and methodological foundations of language education, content, goals and methods of its implementation. The results of monitoring the implementation of the language policy conducted in 29 regions of the Russian Federation are given. The results of organizing a cycle of all-Russian and interregional informational and practical events "Languages and culture of the peoples of Russia: conservation and development". The results of the study allowed to identify problems in the implementation of educational language policy (the conjugation of the diversity of forms and directions of activities aimed at the preservation of languages, with their inadequate theoretical and methodological substantiation, the lack of consistency in the implementation of the tasks of the national language policy in the practice of the secondary school; undeveloped in many constituent entities of the Russian Federation regional strategies, development concepts and linguistic education, etc.). The authors identify promising lines of development of educational language policy: the definition of the modern concept of development of language (ethno-cultural) education, the rationale of its purposes and principles and the development of variable models of its implementation, the strategic guideline of which is the formation and strengthening of harmonious national-Russian bilingualism, provided by the knowledge of the Russian language as the state language by the whole population and is supported by the study of national (ethnic) languages of the peoples of Russia. The key principles of the concept of development of language (ethno-cultural, ethno-linguistic) education are highlighted: formation and development of multilingual competence of students; preservation and development of languages and cultures of the peoples of the Russian Federation as an important condition for their integration into the all-Russian civil nation without assimilation; provision of training and retraining of teachers who teach the native language of the peoples of Russia in a multicultural educational space. The results of the research can be used in the development of effective solutions in the field of language education (value-semantic, content-based, technological) for the preservation and development of native languages, in advanced training and retraining courses for teachers on improving the norms and conditions for the full functioning and development of the languages of the peoples of Russia.

The article is an attempt to show the functionality of orthology in the media sphere and to analyze the communicative and ethical aspects in the Ukrainian WWW segment. The role of educational portals in promoting the Ukrainian language and improving certain provisions of its style and culture are explained; effectiveness of network resources in the process of self-education is investigated. The author drew the attention of users to important educational publications, portals of language policy in Ukraine and the world, blogs, forums on the Internet platform. Objective of the study is to show the functionality of orthology in the field of mass media; analyze the communicative and ethical aspects of language culture; to find out the role of public discussions of scientists in improving Ukrainian spelling; to track the filling of online resources with educational publications, blogs, forums on the Internet platform and their importance for learning Ukrainian as a state language. Ukrainian orthology, as a science of language culture, tells society the path to mobile literacy. Polls show that readers do not trust the author if the material contains grammatical or logical errors. This is associated with the superficiality of knowledge. Given the wide range of issues that disrupt educational portals, researchers should constantly make content analyzes of publications and make practical recommendations for the future. Internet resources have a chance to be the focus of society’s needs. Studies of Internet resources in the Ukrainian segment of the World Wide Web have shown that the virtual platform provides a presentation of public opinion on issues of language policy in Ukraine, educational reform, functioning of the Ukrainian language as a state language. However, it is difficult to do this on a volunteer basis, and requires state support for the publication of dictionaries, textbooks, an electronic library, and more. In social networks, the issue of the Ukrainian language is the main topic in public discussion, first of all the language law of Ukraine, the new edition of the Ukrainian spelling, the problems of culture and stylistics of business communication. In electronic versions of printed editions, readers express their support for the state language and demand implementation of the Law of Ukraine “On Ensuring the Functioning of the Ukrainian Language as State” (2019). Ukrainian orthology develops as a doctrine of the culture of speech in many aspects; communicative intention, empathetic essence, pervasive influence. The level of knowledge of the Ukrainian language in Ukraine is a manifestation of the general culture of its citizens. Language consciousness is an integral part of language culture. On the Internet platform, the opportunities for successful mastering of the imperative rules of the Ukrainian language culture and the dissemination of information are competently and aesthetically created. Orthology aims to regulate dispositive and apodictic norms in the culture of mass communication. Orthology, together with stylistics and rhetoric, regulates linguistic etiquette, defines the criteria of aesthetic speech. The ethics of the word eliminates the manipulation of linguistic means. Key words: Ukrainian Language; orthology; norm; persuasive communication; visual information; apodicticity.

The article describes the development of language policy in Ukraine in 2010–2011. It takes into account the reaction of three European institutions: the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages, the OSCE High Commissioner and the European Commission for Democracy through Law (the Venice Commission). In 2010–2011 European organizations pointed to the problematic aspects of the Ukrainian legislation in relation to the Ukrainian language, which was supported by these organizations for the first time. Amendments to the draft law «Law on Languages» and new draft law «Law on Principles of State Language Policy» proved to be superficial. Following the development of political discourse over the last two years it becomes clear that what was announced was true partially and the criticism of foreign organizations was often concealed. Key words: Language policy, language legistation, state language, regional language, minority language, OSCE, CE.

The need to create an effective mechanism to ensure the implementation of language policy by our state has been increased at the present stage of the development of Ukraine and its legal system. It, on the one hand, will ensure the revival and spread of the Ukrainian language, and on the other will allow the development of national minority languages in accordance with the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (1992), the UN Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1992), the UN Resolution on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1995), The Oslo Recommendations on the Language Rights of National Minorities (1998) and other existing international legal acts. Historical experience can significantly help the successful implementation of measures aimed at improving the effectiveness of domestic legislation in this area. It will allow us not to repeat the mistakes of the past and take into account and use the positive developments. Unfortunately, domestic practice demonstrates a clear lack of attention to the study and use of such experience. The purpose of the article is a comprehensive historical and legal analysis of the processes of legal consolidation and implementation of the language policy of the Russian Empire on the Ukrainian lands in the XIX – early XX centuries. In accordance with the purpose, the following tasks have been formulated: to consider how the imperial language policy has evolved, aimed at narrowing the scope of using the language of the Ukrainian people for assimilation, to emphasize the role and significance of the legal component in these processes that was expressed in the legislation and law-enforcement activity of the relevant state authorities. Scientific novelty is manifested in the fact that this article is one of the first scientific works, where the problems of legal consolidation of Russification language policy on the Ukrainian lands during the past and the beginning of the last centuries are studied according to the latest methodological positions, based on a comprehensive analysis of existing scientific literature, regulatory and law-enforcement acts, as well as other historical and legal sources. The author of the article has emphasized that the tsar pursued a policy of incessant formal and legal restrictions on the Ukrainian language during this period. It has been claimed that during the 60-80s of the XIX century there was the legislative consolidation of that policy. The author has determined the purpose of the imperial government – to limit the scope of use of the Ukrainian language in order to prevent it from becoming a key element in the creation of Ukrainian identity.