10 Comments

You're wrong. The spelling 'Kyiv' was legally mandated by the government in 1995 and the Nazi diaspora has been most vocal in pushing for the change. The spelling difference is political and a means of underlining the ideology that Russian speakers are not "ukrainian". The spelling (romanization) has always been Kiev.

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'Kyiv' is the way non-mongols say it, so be sure to obey and always spell it that way.

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Actually, the Ukrainian spelling is Київ, if you want to be perfectly anal and ideologically pure.

Romanization of languages which do not use the Roman alphabet is always more art than science. Kyiv is the current Romanization in common use.

That is all.

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You're wrong. The spelling 'Kyiv' was legally mandated by the government in 1995 and the Nazi diaspora has been most vocal in pushing for the change. The spelling difference is political and a means of underlining the ideology that Russian speakers are not "ukrainian". The spelling (Romanization) has always been Kiev. If you REALLY want to show your artful allegiance to Nazis, spell it Keeeev.

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Oh please, drop the pretentious pomposity.

Yes, in 1995 the Ukrainian government designated Kyiv as the official transliteration. And yes in recent years the Ukrainian government has promoted the spelling Kyiv over Kiev.

The political backdrop is simple: Kiev is in the minds of Ukrainians (and certainly those within the government) associated with Muscovite efforts to "Russiify" Ukraine, which efforts include the genocides of the Don Cossack hosts in the 17th century and the banning and suppression of the Ukrainian language and the Ukrainian version of Orthodox Christianity in the 19th century. These genocidal acts against Ukraine by Russia are in addition to the Holodomor of the 1930s, which potentially killed more Ukrainians than the Nazis killed during the Holocaust.

Ukrainians don't like Russia all that much, and given the history of brutality by Moscow against Ukraine they have good reasons for feeling that way.

So if it makes Ukrainians happy to have Western cultures spell their capital Kyiv instead of Kiev, there is zero reason not to do them the courtesy of acceding to that request. It is their capital, their language, and their culture. Not Moscow's and certainly not yours.

If that little bit of civility is too much for you to endure that is your problem, and your problem it will remain.

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Your facts matter most, I guess. If you consider it important to make those Ukrainians that bomb Russian-speaking Ukrainians just go ahead and say the slogan Slava Ukraini as well, why don't you.

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If you prefer narrative over the historical record you are on the wrong Substack, and you are cordially invited to leave.

Being rude and disagreeable in this space will only get you blocked.

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That's a shame.

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“Next year we get to vote on whether these bucketheads keep their jobs. When I cast my ballot I am going to write in for every politician up for reelection “None of the Above.” You should as well. In 2024, the goal should be to elect nobody.”

Well said.

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Total agreement here!

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