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the russian

the russian

Ukraine Embassy

10mo ago
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Demonstration at the Ukrainian Embassy A demonstration was held at the Ukrainian Embassy in Vilnius. Protesters expressed their support for the Ukrainian language after the country's Parliament rushed through a contentious Draft Law upgrading the status of the Russian language. The picket was organized by National Association "For Lithuania in Lithuania". Dozens of its members showed solidarity with Ukrainian opposition which seeks to abolish the new law. Representative of the Ukrainian Embassy met with demonstrators and expressed hope that a prevailing crisis will be quickly resolved. Ukrainian Parliament approved a Bill upgrading the status of the Russian language in this former Soviet Republic. According to the Bill, Russian would be recognized as a "regional" language in predominantly Russian-speaking areas, enabling its use in the public service. Opposition parties and millions who speak Ukrainian as their first language see the Bill as a potential threat to Ukrainian sovereignty and its 20 years of independence since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Anti-government protests are planned to take place across the country.