Valuev Circular bans Ukrainian-language publications in the Russian Empire

Background. Pyotr Valuev served as the Minister of Internal Affairs for the Russian Empire from 1861 to 1868. In 1863, he drafted a secret decree known as the Valuev Circular. This document targeted the growing number of textbooks and beginner-level books in Ukrainian, which the circular attributed to the political interests of Poles and the separatist intentions of some 'Little Russians'.

Content. The circular ordered Censorship Committees to ban the publication of religious texts, educational materials, and beginner-level books in Ukrainian. However, it permitted the publication of belles-lettres works in the language. The decree explicitly quoted the opinion of the Kiev Censorship Committee, stating that a separate 'Little Russian' language never existed, does not exist, and shall not exist.

Rationale. The circular justified the ban by citing 'the Poles' political interests' and the 'separatist intentions of some of the Little Russians' as the reasons for the increasing number of Ukrainian textbooks. In its text, the circular quoted the opinion of the Kiev Censorship Committee that a separate 'Little Russian' language never existed, does not exist, and shall not exist.