Russian-speaking Ukrainians in Turkey increasingly switch to Ukrainian, says writer

Olena Lytvynenko, a former diplomat and author of the book “The Viburnum Aftertaste of Turkish Tea”, spoke about this in an interview with Ukrinform. “Many of my acquaintances among the Russian-speaking members of the diaspora have already switched to Ukrainian,” Lytvynenko said. According to her, the Ukrainian diaspora in Turkey is currently strong and united, with both Ukrainians who lived in the country before the start of the full-scale Russian invasion and those who arrived after 2022 acting in concert. Community representatives organize charity events, collect and send aid to Ukraine, and promote Ukrainian culture, history, and traditions. This also helps popularize the Ukrainian language among the diaspora.