Fines up to 11,900 UAH (~$270): Ukrainians to be fined for using Russian in school chats

Parents of schoolchildren in Ukraine may be fined for using Russian in work and parent chat groups. This is stated in the guidelines issued by the Commissioner for the Protection of the State Language, Ivanovska.

Communication between parents and teachers or school administration regarding academic matters is not considered private. The rule applies to school groups in messaging apps — Ukrainian must be used there.

For a first violation in the education sector, the penalty is a warning or a fine from 3,400 to 5,100 UAH (~$76–115).