Kolomoisky mentions studying Ukrainian in the USSR and mocks Tkachenko's past in court

Testimony on school education in the Soviet era

During the court hearing, businessman Igor Kolomoisky addressed the specifics of the educational process in the Soviet Union. He emphasised that there was no clear division of institutions into Ukrainian or Russian ones at the time. The language of instruction in schools was chosen according to the language predominantly spoken by local residents.

At the same time, Kolomoisky noted that the situation in the Ukrainian SSR had its nuances: starting from the second grade, Ukrainian was studied even in educational institutions where the main language of instruction was Russian. People of non-Ukrainian nationality or those who had moved to the republic from other Soviet republics could be exempted from these lessons.

«Я не звільнявся від української мови. Я її вчив, хоча й не є особою української національності», — зазначив Коломойський. (I was not exempted from Ukrainian. I studied it, although I am not a person of Ukrainian nationality, Kolomoisky stated.)

Conflictual discussion with Oleksandr Tkachenko

Later, judging by the voice, former general director of the "1+1" TV channel Oleksandr Tkachenko joined the dialogue. Kolomoisky took the opportunity to joke at his expense. The businessman noted that Tkachenko spoke Russian because he sought to advance along the Komsomol line and make a party career.

In addition, Kolomoisky urged his interlocutor to «перестати із себе зображати і говорити, що ти бандерівець» (stop putting on an act and saying that you are a Bandera follower). According to the businessman, without the status of a Komsomol activist, Tkachenko would not have been able to enter the field of journalism.