Kyiv School Teaches Ukrainian Amid War

Ksenia Golubytska runs Language Lab in Kyiv, Ukraine, now teaching Ukrainian online to a global student base. Before the 2022 invasion, most foreigners in Kyiv learned Russian for daily life. The full-scale invasion quickly changed demand, with students now seeking Ukrainian to express solidarity and respect.

Language Lab’s current students include aid workers, journalists, and people connecting with Ukrainian heritage. The school adapted to wartime challenges, including staff mobilization—the team is almost entirely female—and frequent air raid alerts. Last winter’s blackouts proved particularly difficult for both staff and students, prompting the team to organize support events.

Golubytska emphasizes that Ukrainian is a distinct language, separate from Russian, with roughly 38% different vocabulary. She notes historical suppression of the Ukrainian language, including book bans and the persecution of intellectuals, and views current language learning as an act of cultural restoration. The school continues to offer classes, hoping to connect people through language.