<aside> <img src="/icons/book-closed_gray.svg" alt="/icons/book-closed_gray.svg" width="40px" /> Language creates a mental map in our mind which we use to navigate what's happening in the world. In russia’s hybrid war against Ukraine, words matter.
**One of the best ways to support Ukraine is using Ukraine-centric terminology.
Make sure your Ukraine coverage is Ukraine-centered.**
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How to call the russo-Ukrainian war:
✅ russia’s war on Ukraine ✅ russian invasion of Ukraine ✅ **russo-**Ukrainian war
How NOT to call the russo-Ukrainian war:
❌ civil war ❌ conflict ❌ proxy war ❌ Ukraine crisis/Ukraine conflict/Ukraine war ❌ Putin’s war
Correct spelling:
✅ Kyiv, not Kiev ✅ Donbas, not Donbass ✅ Odesa, not Odessa
✅ Ukraine, a sovereign state
DON’Ts
❌ The Ukraine ❌ former Soviet republic ❌ post-Soviet state
russia-occupied territories:
✅ temporarily russia-occupied areas of Donbas
❌ rebel-held/separatist-held territories of Donbas
russian occupants:
✅ russian forces ✅ russian occupation forces ✅ russian occupants
❌ pro-russian separatists ❌ russia-backed rebels
The start of the russo-Ukrainian war:
✅ 20 February 2014
❌ NOT start 24 February 2022.
What started on 24 February 2022 is the full-scale russian invasion of Ukraine.
RELATED PAGES
UKRAINE DAO - OFFICIAL LINKS