The Verkhovna Rada Commissioner for Human Rights Dmytro Lubinets appealed to the National Police of Ukraine, the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting after the statements of the ex-MP Iryna Farion.
"The media is actively spreading video material that broadcasts negative statements and accusations about servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who communicate in the languages of national minorities," wrote Lubinets, without mentioning the name of the person who made such statements.
However, his address to the National Council and mention of the military directly point to the interview of Iryna Farion with journalist Yanina Sokolova on Channel 5.
Iryna Farion said that she cannot consider the Russian-speaking fighters of "Azov" and the 3rd Assault Brigade (Sokolova asked about them) as Ukrainians if they cannot learn Ukrainian language.
"Then let them call themselves Russian. How dare them? If they consider themselves as such patriots, let them show their patriotism — they have to learn the language of Taras Hryhorovych Shevchenko," noted the ex-MP.
According to the ombudsman, such behavior is oppression and a form of discrimination, which is prohibited by the legislation of Ukraine.