Video address by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the occasion of Russian Language Day, Moscow, June 6, 2025

Friends,

My heartfelt wishes go to you on the occasion of Russian Language Day, which takes place annually on the birthday of great Russian poet and writer Alexander Pushkin.

The importance of the Russian language as a pillar underlying the Russian civilisation and the whole Russian world can hardly be overestimated. Our “great and mighty” (as it is called) language is among the world’s top five most widely spoken languages. It is widely used as an official or working language on international platforms. Its role in the development of scientific, cultural and educational exchanges and people-to-people contacts is enormous. Russian Language Day features on the UN calendar of significant dates as part of the programme for promoting multilingualism and cultural diversity.

Spreading the language of Leo Tolstoy and Ivan Turgenev, and Russian culture across the former Soviet Union objectively contributes to the formation of a space of peace, security, economic and humanitarian cooperation in Eurasia. I would like to note the great strides in the joint efforts with our partners to complete the procedures related to the establishment of the International Organisation for the Russian Language that was initiated by President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. Importantly, all countries without exception, where the Russian language is known and loved, and where the people are willing to study it, are welcome to join it. I look forward to the Organisation becoming operational soon.

This year that marks the 80th anniversary of the Great Victory. We remember with gratitude that the Red Army soldiers, who saved the world from the horrors of Nazism, defended, among other things, our right to speak our native Russian language.

In 1942, outstanding poetess Anna Akhmatova wrote about it in her poem “Courage” as follows:

“It is not scary to lie dead under bullets,

It is not bitter to be homeless,

And we will preserve you, Russian speech, great Russian word.

We will carry you free and pure,

We’ll give you to our grandchildren and save you from captivity.

Forever.”

The “great Russian word” could be seen in denunciatory texts, including at the Nuremberg Tribunal, documenting the atrocities of Nazi war criminals. It strengthened the fighting spirit, brought consolation, and asserted the inevitable victory of good over evil. The works of art created during the Great Patriotic War are rightfully included in the golden collection of the Russian and world culture.

Respect for the Russian language, the great culture created on its basis, and the people who speak it are very important for us. We cannot tolerate discrimination, not to mention the open terror against everything Russian that was unleashed by the Kiev regime. The Ukrainian followers of Stepan Bandera and Roman Shukhevich are systematically and legally exterminating everything that is in any way connected with Russia. The Kiev regime finds the Russian language particularly hateful. It was banned, including by law, from use. Russia will not leave Russians and Russian-speaking people in trouble and will make sure that their legal rights, including the right to speak their native language, are restored in full. We will continue to speak about this pressing problem on international platforms. We will insist on having it resolved as a prerequisite for a lasting peaceful settlement of the Ukraine conflict.

Further strengthening of the position of the Russian language in the world remains among the unconditional priorities of our humanitarian foreign policy. We will continue to do our utmost to meet the needs of our foreign partners in studying and using the Russian language, in obtaining general interest and scientific information in Russian, and in expanding knowledge about Russia.

On a final note, I would like to extend my heartfelt wishes to all those who love the language spoken by Pushkin and who contribute to its preservation and dissemination around the world. Special words of gratitude go to our compatriots who maintain an unbreakable spiritual and linguistic bond with their historical homeland, and who do much to preserve the rich cultural, historical and spiritual heritage of the Russian world.

I wish you a happy holiday and all the best.