# Forum Other Languages Slavic languages Ukrainian  Ukrainian - Russian Television And Subtitles!

## basurero

Just wondering, when they show someone speaking Ukranian on Russian TV or vice versa do they use subtitles or voice over or can people just understand it straight up?

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## MikeM

On Russian TV they usually use voice over. I don't know what they are currently doing on Ukranian TV, but most of the Ukranians can understand Russian perfectly. With regards to Russians listening to Ukranians, they can usually understand the general idea but not every word.

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## TATY

I have seen on Ukrainian news they put a Ukrainian voice over the Russian. 
But during the commerical break they had an advert in Russian.  
Also they called Владимир Путин - Володимир Путін. 
See, when you say Ukrainian TV, some Ukrainian TV (TV in Ukraine) is in Russian. 
The thing is, almost everyone in Ukraine speaks Russian to a near fluent level, or fluent. But much much much less people are fluent in Ukrainian. 
You can watch Ukrainian TV online (legally) here:   http://www.utr.kiev.ua/index.eu.html 
It's fun watching Ukrainians trying to speak Ukrainian and hesitating, masking mistakes and russianisms.

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## basurero

If everyone understands Russian why do they voice over? Is it just to be politically correct?

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## TATY

> If everyone understands Russian why do they voice over? Is it just to be politically correct?

 Most, but not everyone. Like in L'vov in West Ukraine people can not know Russian too well. Also there are kids growing up there not learning Russian at school or from their parents. Mostly it is more of a political thing.  
But yes it is political.

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## kalinka_vinnie

I was told that if you go to some Ukranian village and try to speak to them in Russian, they would not understand.  
Ukranian and Russian is far enough apart that it is easier on people's brains to just do a voice over...

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## gRomoZeka

Often presenter or interviewer on TV speaks Ukrainian because it's required while people tend to answer in Russian.

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## TATY

> Often presenter or interviewer on TV speaks Ukrainian because it's required while people tend to answer in Russian.

 I saw a Ukrainian Jerry Springer type show and the hosts kept asking the questions in Ukrainian and the guests just answeredin Russian.

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