This presentation explores the complex relationship between bilingualism and identity in Ukraine, tracing the historical and sociolinguistic transformations that have shaped this dynamic. It examines the process of Russification as one of the key imperial practices of both the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union, highlighting its long-term effects on Ukrainians’ linguistic and cultural self-identification. Special attention is given to the post-independence period, when state policies and social attitudes toward language began to shift, revealing tensions between inherited linguistic hierarchies and emerging national consciousness. The paper also analyzes how the ongoing war with Russia has intensified public discourse around language, influencing everyday linguistic practices and reinforcing Ukrainian as a marker of resistance, solidarity, and national identity.
