Ukraine’s president signs controversial language bill into law

Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych on Wednesday signed into law a bill granting the Russian language official status in about half of Ukraine’s regions, RIA Novosti reports.

The bill allows the parliament, government, and other legislative and executive bodies to publish their decisions in the regional language, and enables TV companies to broadcast in that language.

The authors of the bill maintain that it preserves the status of Ukrainian as the only state language.