Editing Russian language (section)

=== Europe ===
[[File:BelarusHomeLanguages2009.PNG|thumb|right|Languages spoken at home in [[Belarus]] (according to the [[2009 Belarusian census]]) (green — Belarusian, blue — Russian) ([[Districts of Belarus|by raion]])]]
[[File:Russophone population in Estonia.png|thumb|right|Percentage of Russian speakers in [[Estonia]] (according to the 2000 Estonian census)]]
[[File:Use of Russian language at home in Latvia (2011).svg|thumb|200px|Percentage of Russian speakers in different regions of [[Latvia]] (according to the {{Interlanguage link|2011 Latvian census|lt=2011 census|lv|2011. gada tautas skaitīšana Latvijā}})]]
[[File:UkraineNativeRussianLanguageCensus2001detailed.png|thumb|right|Percentage of people in [[Ukraine]] with Russian as their native language (according to the [[Languages of Ukraine#2001 national census|2001 Ukrainian census]])]]
In [[Belarus]], Russian is a second state language alongside Belarusian per the [[Constitution of Belarus]].<ref name="fundeh1"/> 77% of the population was fluent in Russian in 2006, and 67% used it as the main language with family, friends, or at work.<ref name="demoscope329">{{cite web|title=Русскоязычие распространено не только там, где живут русские|url=http://demoscope.ru/weekly/2008/0329/tema03.php|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161023011719/http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2008/0329/tema03.php|archive-date=23 October 2016|website=demoscope.ru|language=ru}}</ref> According to the [[2019 Belarusian census]], out of 9,413,446 inhabitants of the country, 5,094,928 (54.1% of the total population) named Belarusian as their native language, with 61.2% of ethnic Belarusians and 54.5% of [[Poles in Belarus#Current situation|ethnic Poles]] declaring Belarusian as their native language. In everyday life in the Belarusian society the Russian language prevails, so according to the 2019 census 6,718,557 people (71.4% of the total population) stated that they speak Russian at home, for ethnic Belarusians this share is 61.4%, for [[Russians in Belarus|Russians]] — 97.2%, for [[Ukrainians in Belarus|Ukrainians]] — 89.0%, for Poles — 52.4%, and for [[Jews in Belarus|Jews]] — 96.6%; 2,447,764 people (26.0% of the total population) stated that the language they usually speak at home is Belarusian, among ethnic Belarusians this share is 28.5%; the highest share of those who speak Belarusian at home is among ethnic Poles — 46.0%.<ref>{{cite web |title = Общая численность населения, численность населения по возрасту и полу, состоянию в браке, уровню образования, национальностям, языку, источникам средств к существованию по Республике Беларусь |url = https://belstat.gov.by/upload/iblock/471/471b4693ab545e3c40d206338ff4ec9e.pdf |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20201004235333/https://www.belstat.gov.by/upload/iblock/471/471b4693ab545e3c40d206338ff4ec9e.pdf |archivedate = 4 October 2020 |url-status= live |access-date = 6 October 2020 }}</ref>

In [[Estonia]], Russian is spoken by 29.6% of the population, according to a 2011 estimate from the World Factbook,<ref name=bookoffact/> and is officially considered a foreign language.<ref name="fundeh1"/> School education in the Russian language is a very contentious point in Estonian politics, and in 2022, the parliament approved a bill to close up all Russian language schools and kindergartens by the school year. The transition to only Estonian language schools and kindergartens will start in the 2024–2025 school year.<ref>{{Cite web|website=[[Eesti Rahvusringhääling|ERR]]|date=12 December 2022|title=Riigikogu kiitis heaks eestikeelsele õppele ülemineku|trans-title=The Riigikogu approved the transition to Estonian-language education|url=https://www.err.ee/1608817708/riigikogu-kiitis-heaks-eestikeelsele-oppele-ulemineku|language=Estonian|access-date=2 February 2023|archive-date=2 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202094203/https://www.err.ee/1608817708/riigikogu-kiitis-heaks-eestikeelsele-oppele-ulemineku|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=13 December 2022|title=Estonia's Russian schools to switch to Estonian-language schooling|website=[[Estonian World]]|url=https://estonianworld.com/knowledge/estonias-russian-schools-to-switch-to-estonian-language-schooling/ |access-date=2 June 2024}}</ref>

In [[Latvia]], Russian is officially considered a foreign language.<ref name="fundeh1"/> 55% of the population was fluent in Russian in 2006, and 26% used it as the main language with family, friends, or at work.<ref name="demoscope329"/> On 18 February 2012, Latvia held a [[2012 Latvian constitutional referendum|constitutional referendum]] on whether to adopt Russian as a second official language.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://web.cvk.lv/pub/public/28361.html/|title=Referendum on the Draft Law 'Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia'|publisher=Central Election Commission of Latvia|year=2012|access-date=2 May 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120502013728/http://web.cvk.lv/pub/public/28361.html|archive-date=2 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> According to the Central Election Commission, 74.8% voted against, 24.9% voted for and the voter turnout was 71.1%.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tn2012.cvk.lv/|title=Results of the referendum on the Draft Law 'Amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia'|language=lv|publisher=Central Election Commission of Latvia|year=2012|access-date=2 May 2012|archive-date=15 April 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120415075014/http://www.tn2012.cvk.lv/|url-status=live}}</ref> Starting in 2019, [[Russian language in Latvia|instruction in Russian]] will be gradually discontinued in private colleges and universities in Latvia, and in general instruction in Latvian public high schools.<ref>{{cite news |title=Latvia pushes majority language in schools, leaving parents miffed |url=https://www.dw.com/en/latvia-pushes-majority-language-in-schools-leaving-parents-miffed/a-45385830 |agency=Deutsche Welle |date=8 September 2018 |access-date=7 August 2019 |archive-date=23 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190123223709/https://www.dw.com/en/latvia-pushes-majority-language-in-schools-leaving-parents-miffed/a-45385830 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Moscow threatens sanctions against Latvia over removal of Russian from secondary schools |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/03/moscow-threatens-sanctions-against-latvia-removal-russian-secondary/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220110/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/04/03/moscow-threatens-sanctions-against-latvia-removal-russian-secondary/ |archive-date=10 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |work=The Daily Telegraph |date=3 April 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On 29 September 2022, [[Saeima]] passed in the final reading amendments that state that all schools and kindergartens in the country are to transition to education in [[Latvian language|Latvian]]. From 2025, all children will be taught in Latvian only.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bnn-news.com/latvia-to-gradually-transition-to-education-only-in-official-language-238962|title=Latvia to gradually transition to education only in official language|date=29 September 2022|access-date=21 November 2023|archive-date=5 December 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231205153814/https://bnn-news.com/latvia-to-gradually-transition-to-education-only-in-official-language-238962|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheremet |first=Anhelina |date=13 May 2022 |title=In Latvia, from 2025, all children will be taught in Latvian only |url=https://babel.ua/en/news/78675-in-latvia-from-2025-all-children-will-be-taught-in-latvian-only |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121114406/https://babel.ua/en/news/78675-in-latvia-from-2025-all-children-will-be-taught-in-latvian-only |archive-date=21 November 2023 |website=Бабель}}</ref> On 28 September 2023, Latvian deputies approved The National Security Concept, according to which from 1 January 2026, all content created by Latvian public media (including [[Public Broadcasting of Latvia|LSM]]) should be only in Latvian or a language that "belongs to the European cultural space". The financing of Russian-language content by the state will cease, which the concept says create a "unified information space". However, one inevitable consequence would be the closure of public media broadcasts in Russian on LTV and Latvian Radio, as well as the closure of LSM's Russian-language service.<ref>{{Cite web |date=28 September 2023 |title=Saeima approves updated National Security concept for Latvia |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/defense/28.09.2023-saeima-approves-updated-national-security-concept-for-latvia.a525735/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121114206/https://eng.lsm.lv/article/society/defense/28.09.2023-saeima-approves-updated-national-security-concept-for-latvia.a525735/ |archive-date=21 November 2023 |website=Eng.LSM.lv}}</ref>

In [[Lithuania]], Russian has no official or legal status, but the use of the language has some presence in certain areas. A large part of the population, especially the older generations, can speak Russian as a foreign language.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://in.mfa.lt/in/en/news/statistics-lithuania-785-of-lithuanians-speak-at-least-one-foreign-language|title=Statistics Lithuania: 78.5% of Lithuanians speak at least one foreign language &#124; News |website= Ministry of Foreign Affairs |date=27 September 2013 |access-date=28 December 2020|archive-date=6 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210106145651/https://in.mfa.lt/in/en/news/statistics-lithuania-785-of-lithuanians-speak-at-least-one-foreign-language|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, English has replaced Russian as ''[[lingua franca]]'' in Lithuania and around 80% of young people speak English as their first foreign language.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://investlithuania.com/news/employees-fluent-in-three-languages-its-the-norm-in-lithuania/|title=Employees fluent in three languages – it's the norm in Lithuania |publisher=Outsourcing&More |date=26 September 2018 |first1=Rūta |last1=Labalaukytė |website=Invest Lithuania |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231019201722/https://investlithuania.com/news/employees-fluent-in-three-languages-its-the-norm-in-lithuania/ |archive-date= 19 October 2023 }}</ref> In contrast to the other two Baltic states, Lithuania has a relatively small Russian-speaking minority (5.0% {{as of|2008|lc=y}}).<ref name="andrlik">{{cite web|title=Ethnic and Language Policy of the Republic of Lithuania: Basis and Practice |first1=Jan |last1=Andrlík|url=http://alppi.eu/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Andrlik_2009.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160403213425/http://alppi.eu/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/Andrlik_2009.pdf|archive-date=3 April 2016}}</ref> According to the [[2011 Lithuanian census]], Russian was the native language for 7.2% of the population.<ref>Statistics Lithuania census 2011: {{cite web |url=https://osp.stat.gov.lt/documents/10180/217110/Gyv_kalba_tikyba.pdf |title=Gyventojai pagal tautybę, gimtąją kalbą ir tikybą |website=Oficialiosios statistikos portalas |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404074611/https://osp.stat.gov.lt/documents/10180/217110/Gyv_kalba_tikyba.pdf |archive-date= 4 April 2023 }}</ref>

In [[Moldova]], Russian was considered to be the language of interethnic communication under a Soviet-era law.<ref name="fundeh1"/> On 21 January 2021, the [[Constitutional Court of Moldova]] declared the law unconstitutional and deprived Russian of the status of the language of interethnic communication.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1 January 2021 |title=The Court examined the constitutionality of the Law on the Usage of Languages Spoken on the Territory of the Republic of Moldova |url=https://www.constcourt.md/libview.php?l=en&idc=7&id=2067&t=/Media/News/The-Court-examined-the-constitutionality-of-the-Law-on-the-Usage-of-Languages-Spoken-on-the-Territory-of-the-Republic-of-Moldova |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211022191049/https://www.constcourt.md/libview.php?l=en&idc=7&id=2067&t=/Media/News/The-Court-examined-the-constitutionality-of-the-Law-on-the-Usage-of-Languages-Spoken-on-the-Territory-of-the-Republic-of-Moldova |archive-date=22 October 2021 |website=Constitutional Court of the Republic of Moldova}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Tanas |first=Alexander |date=21 January 2021 |title=Moldovan court overturns special status for Russian language |language=en-US |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-moldova-language-idUSKBN29Q2J0/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121095432/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-russia-moldova-language-idUSKBN29Q2J0/ |archive-date= 21 November 2023 }}</ref> 50% of the population was fluent in Russian in 2006, and 19% used it as the main language with family, friends, or at work.<ref name="demoscope329"/> According to the [[2014 Moldovan census]], Russians accounted for 4.1% of Moldova's population, 9.4% of the population declared Russian as their native language, and 14.5% said they usually spoke Russian.<ref>{{Cite web |date=31 March 2017 |title=The Population of the Republic of Moldova at the time of the Census was 2 998 235 |url=https://statistica.gov.md/en/the-population-of-the-republic-of-moldova-at-the-time-12_896.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231121100936/https://statistica.gov.md/en/the-population-of-the-republic-of-moldova-at-the-time-12_896.html |archive-date=21 November 2023 |website=National Bureau of Statistics of the Republic of Moldova}}</ref>

According to the [[Russian Census (2010)|2010 census in Russia]], Russian language skills were indicated by 138 million people (99.4% of the respondents), while according to the [[Russian Census (2002)|2002 census]] – 142.6 million people (99.2% of the respondents).<ref>{{cite web|date=8 November 2011|title=Демоскоп Weekly. Об итогах Всероссийской переписи населения 2010 года. Сообщение Росстата|url=http://demoscope.ru/weekly/2011/0491/perep01.php|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141018055149/http://www.demoscope.ru/weekly/2011/0491/perep01.php|archive-date=18 October 2014|access-date=23 April 2014|publisher=Demoscope.ru|language=ru}}</ref>

In [[Ukraine]], Russian is a significant minority language. According to estimates from Demoskop Weekly, in 2004 there were 14,400,000 native speakers of Russian in the country, and 29 million active speakers.<ref name="demoscope251">{{cite web|title=Падение статуса русского языка на постсоветском пространстве|url=http://demoscope.ru/weekly/2006/0251/tema01.php|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161025204352/http://demoscope.ru/weekly/2006/0251/tema01.php|archive-date=25 October 2016|website=demoscope.ru|language=ru}}</ref> 65% of the population was fluent in Russian in 2006, and 38% used it as the main language with family, friends, or at work.<ref name="demoscope329"/> On 5 September 2017, Ukraine's Parliament passed a [[Ukrainization#2017 law "On Education"|new education law]] which requires all schools to teach at least partially in Ukrainian, with provisions while allow indigenous languages and languages of national minorities to be used alongside the national language.<ref>{{cite web |title=New education law becomes effective in Ukraine |url=https://www.unian.info/society/2159231-new-education-law-becomes-effective-in-ukraine.html |website=www.unian.info |access-date=22 March 2023 |language=en |archive-date=27 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180627202400/https://www.unian.info/society/2159231-new-education-law-becomes-effective-in-ukraine.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The law faced criticism from officials in Russia and Hungary.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ukraine defends education reform as Hungary promises 'pain' |url=https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/ukraine-defends-education-reform-as-hungary-promises-pain-1.3235916 |newspaper=The Irish Times |date=27 September 2017 |access-date=7 August 2019 |archive-date=24 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324150210/https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/ukraine-defends-education-reform-as-hungary-promises-pain-1.3235916 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ukrainian Language Bill Facing Barrage Of Criticism From Minorities, Foreign Capitals |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-language-legislation-minority-languages-russia-hungary-romania/28753925.html |work=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]] |date=24 September 2017 |access-date=7 August 2019 |archive-date=31 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190331162824/https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-language-legislation-minority-languages-russia-hungary-romania/28753925.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The 2019 [[Law of Ukraine "On protecting the functioning of the Ukrainian language as the state language"]] gives priority to the [[Ukrainian language]] in more than 30 spheres of public life: in particular in [[public administration]], media, education, science, culture, advertising, [[Service (economics)|services]]. The law does not regulate private communication.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2704-19#Text|title=Про забезпечення функціонування української мови як державної|website=Офіційний вебпортал парламенту України|access-date=21 November 2023|archive-date=2 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502182619/https://zakon.rada.gov.ua/laws/show/2704-19#Text|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=16 May 2019|title=Кому варто боятися закону про мову?|url=http://language-policy.info/2019/05/komu-varto-boyatysya-zakonu-pro-movu/|access-date=14 May 2022|website=Портал мовної політики|language=uk|archive-date=18 May 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190518152707/http://language-policy.info/2019/05/komu-varto-boyatysya-zakonu-pro-movu/|url-status=live}}</ref> A poll conducted in March 2022 by [[Sociological group "RATING"|RATING]] in the territory controlled by Ukraine found that 83% of the respondents believe that Ukrainian should be the only state language of Ukraine. This opinion dominates in all macro-regions, age and language groups. On the other hand, before the war, almost a quarter of Ukrainians were in favour of granting Russian the status of the state language, while after the beginning of Russia's invasion the support for the idea dropped to just 7%. In peacetime, the idea of raising the status of Russian was traditionally supported by residents of the [[Southern Ukraine|south]] and [[Eastern Ukraine|east]]. But even in these regions, only a third of the respondents were in favour, and after [[Russian invasion of Ukraine|Russia's full-scale invasion]], their number dropped by almost half.<ref>{{cite web |title=Шосте загальнонаціональне опитування: мовне питання в Україні (19 березня 2022) |url=https://ratinggroup.ua/research/ukraine/language_issue_in_ukraine_march_19th_2022.html |access-date=27 August 2023 |language=uk |archive-date=24 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824150442/https://ratinggroup.ua/research/ukraine/language_issue_in_ukraine_march_19th_2022.html |url-status=live }}</ref> According to the survey carried out by [[Sociological group "RATING"|RATING]] in August 2023 in the territory controlled by Ukraine and among the refugees, almost 60% of the polled usually speak Ukrainian at home, about 30% – Ukrainian and Russian, only 9% – Russian. Since March 2022, the use of Russian in everyday life has been noticeably decreasing. For 82% of respondents, Ukrainian is their mother tongue, and for 16%, Russian is their mother tongue. [[Internally displaced person|IDPs]] and [[Ukrainian refugee crisis (2022–present)|refugees living abroad]] are more likely to use both languages for communication or speak Russian. Nevertheless, more than 70% of IDPs and refugees consider Ukrainian to be their native language.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://ratinggroup.ua/files/ratinggroup/reg_files/rating_independence_august_2023.pdf |title=Соціологічне дослідження до Дня Незалежності УЯВЛЕННЯ ПРО ПАТРІОТИЗМ ТА МАЙБУТНЄ УКРАЇНИ |access-date=21 November 2023 |archive-date=27 December 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231227002638/https://ratinggroup.ua/files/ratinggroup/reg_files/rating_independence_august_2023.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

In the 20th century, Russian was a mandatory language taught in the schools of the members of the old [[Warsaw Pact]] and in other [[Communist state|countries]] that used to be satellites of the USSR. According to the Eurobarometer 2005 survey,<ref>{{cite web|year=2006|title=Europeans and their Languages|url=http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/pdf/doc631_en.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090521033643/http://ec.europa.eu/education/languages/pdf/doc631_en.pdf|archive-date=21 May 2009|website=europa.eu}}</ref> fluency in Russian remains fairly high (20–40%) in some countries, in particular former Warsaw Pact countries.