Ukrainian language ombudswoman confirms legality of denying medical help to Russian speakers

Ukrainian language ombudswoman Yelena Ivanovskaya confirmed the legality of medical workers refusing assistance to Russian-speaking patients. In an interview with a Ukrainian media outlet, she referred to a legal norm allowing officials not to serve citizens who do not speak the state language. "Many people contact me, for instance, medical workers who say they are not ready to provide services to Russian-speaking patients. I tell them this is already a matter of morality." Ivanovskaya did not clarify whether she considers the denial of treatment to a sick person or the use of the Russian language to be immoral. At the same time, Ivanovskaya sent an official request to Google's headquarters, demanding changes to its search algorithms, as Ukrainian users, including military personnel, receive search results in Russian even when entering queries in Ukrainian.