Quote:
Originally Posted by redwhiteandblue
People from Kiev itself I guess?
Many things are written in Ukrainian in Kiev and other places instead of Russian, restaurant menus, shop signs, etc. The further west you go the more Ukrainian is spoken. Maybe it would be better to get an opinion from a Ukrainian on this thread instead of a Russian. |
I lived there around year (in Ukraine in various places, not the capital Kiev).
To put it simple - it is a bilingual country.
There are regions where Russian is spoken and written more and regions where Ukrainian is spoken and written more. But I would say that both sides understand both Russian and Ukrainian. To the extent that they may communicate with each other without problems.
Ukrainians are eastern Slavs like Russians, but it doesnt mean that they are Russian. Also, lets define here "Ukrainians", because this one will be tricky. Ukraine is kind of diverse country.
People from Donbass are different than ppl from Lviv, the latter are different than people from Rakhiv, which are different than people from Berehove, Bilhorod, Kamianets Podolsky, Chernivtsi, Odessa, Kiev etc.
I would say that the "Ukrainians" that are like "Russians" live mostly on the east, like Kharkhiv etc.
Also, as from "Russians" from Siberia, as far as I know, there are various local tribes that live there - among white Russians - that are as far from Russians as Chinese. Of course, both Russians and Chinese have one thing in common - they belong to Asia, not Europe :P:P