At protest in Lviv, students demand firing of university professor over her ‘disrespect’ for Russian-speaking soldiers
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Students in Lviv are demanding the firing of Ukrainian language professor Iryna Farion from Lviv Polytechnic National University after she made disparaging comments about Russian-speaking Ukrainian soldiers, public broadcaster Suspilne reported on Nov. 14.
The professor sparked a wave of criticism after she responded to the fact that some military brigades of the Azov Regiment and the 3rd Separate Marine Brigade speak Russian, stating that she cannot "accept" to call such fighters Ukrainians, during an interview with Yanina Sokolova on YouTube channel Rendezvous on Nov. 5.
Students from Lviv Polytechnic, Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, and Kyiv National University of Technology and Design, among others, participated in the protest. The protesters brought posters with slogans such as "Farion out", and "Iryna Farion disgraces Ukraine" as seen in a video provided by Suspilne.
"My father is a soldier and I worry about him all the time,” a student from Lviv Polytechnic said.
“When a professor at my school says such disgusting things, it's impossible to stay silent. She teaches some of my classes."
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Later, representatives of Lviv Polytechnic University invited the students to meet with administrators.
On Nov. 7, Ombudsman Dmytro Lubinets appealed to the police, Ukraine’s SBU security service and the National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting over Farion's statement.
On Nov. 8, Farion published a letter from a student in the temporarily occupied Crimea who supported her position on the importance of the Ukrainian language and said that he was looking forward to the liberation of his hometown, Kerch. Farion did not conceal the student's personal information, including his name and the city where he studies.
Read also: Russia suppressing Ukrainian language in occupied territories
On Nov. 13, the Telegram channel “Crimean SMERSH” — a network of informants seeking out Crimean pro-Ukrainian individuals to instigating occupying forces against them — published a video in which a young man named Maxym Hlebov identified himself as the author of the letter to Farion.
In the video, Hlebov apologized for the letter and said that he had renounced his views. The caption under the video stated that the Russians had found Hlebov thanks to Farion's post.
Farion herself said that she is supported by "hundreds of people." She called the incident a "regular provocation" organized by Russian propaganda.
Later, Ombudsman Lubinets said that he had again appealed to the SBU about Farion.
Lviv Polytechnic University said that it "does not bear responsibility" for Farion's statements and that the university students have contacted law enforcement.
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Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine
