Ukrainian

Ukraine is a country located in Eastern Europe, sharing borders with Russia, Belarus, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Moldova. It is the largest country entirely within Europe and has a rich cultural heritage shaped by its history as a crossroads of various empires, including the Kyivan Rus, Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Soviet Union. Ukrainian culture is known for its vibrant traditions in music, dance, art, and literature, deeply rooted in folk customs and the Orthodox Christian faith. Since gaining independence in 1991, Ukraine has worked to strengthen its national identity and cultural institutions while navigating complex geopolitical challenges.

Ukrainian language

The Ukrainian language belongs to the East Slavic branch of the Indo-European language family, closely related to Russian and Belarusian. Linguists have established that Ukrainian is a distinct language based on historical, linguistic, and cultural criteria. Both Ukrainian and Russian developed from the common ancestor Old East Slavic, spoken in the medieval state of Kyivan Rus from approximately the 9th to 13th centuries. Over time, this language evolved differently in various regions due to political, social, and cultural factors. Ukrainian retains many archaic features that are closer to Old East Slavic and also shows influences from neighboring Polish and other West Slavic languages. Ukrainian and Russian are both members of the East Slavic subgroup of the Indo-European language family. They both evolved from Old East Slavic, the language spoken in the medieval state of Kyivan Rus between the 9th and 13th centuries. Around the 14th to 16th centuries, regional dialects of Old East Slavic gradually differentiated into distinct languages, including Ukrainian, Russian, and Belarusian.

Ukrainian preserves several archaic features of Old East Slavic that Russian has lost. It also shows influences from West Slavic languages such as Polish, due to geographic and historical proximity. Russian, by contrast, developed from the dialects spoken around Moscow and incorporated features from Church Slavonic and other sources.

Both languages use the Cyrillic alphabet but differ in phonology, vocabulary, and grammar. For example, Ukrainian has a more phonetic orthography and uses seven noun cases, like Russian, but some case endings and verb conjugations differ. Basic vocabulary can be similar but often contains distinct words or cognates with different pronunciations.

Mutual intelligibility between Ukrainian and Russian is partial: speakers may understand some basic words and phrases but typically need exposure or study to communicate fluently. Overall, Ukrainian and Russian are classified as separate languages within the East Slavic group.

Астерікс говорить українською

One Asterix album has been translated into Ukrainian, allowing Ukrainian readers to enjoy the adventures of the Gaulish hero in their native tongue.

The Ukrainian translation of the Asterix album Asterix the Gaul (Астерікс iз Гaллiї) was completed by Anna-Maria Balandina, an 18-year-old Ukrainian student residing in Paris. This translation marks the first time an Asterix album has been published in Ukrainian. The book was released in June 2025 by the Ukrainian publisher Pinzel, renowned for its commitment to preserving and promoting Ukrainian language and culture.

The decision to publish this translation pays homage to the Ukrainian roots of René Goscinny, the co-creator of Asterix. Goscinny’s maternal family hailed from the region that is now part of Ukraine, and this connection adds a layer of cultural significance to the project.

Anna-Maria Balandina, who has been an avid reader of Asterix since childhood, undertook this translation as part of her academic pursuits. Her work not only introduces Ukrainian readers to the adventures of Asterix and his companions but also contributes to the rich tapestry of Ukrainian literary translations.

This initiative aligns with the broader efforts to expand the reach of Asterix, the Ukrainian translation marks the 120th language in which it was translated, making it one of the most translated comic series globally.