{"id":210802,"date":"2025-06-24T16:15:14","date_gmt":"2025-06-24T16:15:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/210802\/"},"modified":"2025-06-24T16:15:14","modified_gmt":"2025-06-24T16:15:14","slug":"putin-signs-watered-down-version-of-russian-language-protection-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/210802\/","title":{"rendered":"Putin Signs Watered-Down Version of Russian Language Protection Law"},"content":{"rendered":"

President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday signed<\/a> a long-delayed law aimed at protecting the Russian language, though independent observers say the legislation has been significantly watered down from its original version.<\/p>\n

Starting in March 2026, store signs and public-facing notices such as \u201copen,\u201d \u201cclosed,\u201d and \u201csale\u201d will be required to appear in Russian. Translations into other languages will still be allowed, but the Russian-language version must be displayed using the same font, size and color.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe words \u2018open,\u2019 \u2018closed,\u2019 \u2018sale\u2019 and information signs must be primarily in Russian as a state language,\u201d senior lawmaker Olga Kazakova said<\/a> last week. \u201cBut their translation into other languages is not… prohibited.\u201d<\/p>\n

Violations will carry fines ranging from 500 to 10,000 rubles ($6.50\u2013$128) for small or medium-sized businesses.<\/p>\n

The law does not apply to advertisements or registered brand names.<\/p>\n

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\t\t\t\tRussia to Drop Ukrainian Language From School Curriculum \u2013 Kommersant
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The original bill, submitted to the State Duma in late 2023, had proposed much broader restrictions. However, businesses and government officials criticized<\/a> it as overreaching and legally flawed.<\/p>\n

Provisions that would have required advertisements and brand names to appear in Russian were ultimately scrapped.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe patriotic bill has turned into a shell of its former self. The legislation was cut in half by its second reading,\u201d wrote<\/a> exiled journalist Farida Rustamova.<\/p>\n

Yelena Yampolskaya, the bill\u2019s co-author and now a presidential adviser for culture and the arts, recently complained<\/a> to Putin about attacks on the legislation. In response, Putin condemned the use of \u201cvulgar and mechanical foreign loanwords that don\u2019t enrich but pollute and distort our language.\u201d<\/p>\n

Still, the most notable restriction to remain in the law is a ban on construction companies using the Latin alphabet in the names of new residential complexes. Experts say this will affect<\/a> less than 7% of the roughly 4,700 complexes currently being built in Russia.<\/p>\n

The law will take effect on March 1, 2026.<\/p>\n

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