Putin bans Russian officials from using foreign words in swipe at ‘degenerate’ West

Russian president amends 2005 law designed to protect language

Government officials in Russia will be banned from using most foreign words while carrying out their duties under plans drawn up by Vladimir Putin, who has railed against the corrupting influence of the “degenerate” West.

The president has amended a 2005 law designed to protect and support the status of the Russian language, preventing public workers from using words and expressions “that do not correspondent to norms of modern Russia.”

There will exceptions for foreign words that “do not have widely-used corresponding equivalents in Russian," according to the announcement on the government’s website.