Radio dictation 2025 - ‘just a disaster’: why Ukrainians criticised the traditional flash mob

The 2025 National Unity Radio Dictation, which was supposed to be a symbol of unity and love for the Ukrainian language, turned into one of the most controversial flash mobs of the autumn. Ukrainians massively criticised the dictation. Find out why the 2025 radio dictation caused such a stir and how the organisers responded to the scandal

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The National Unity Radio Dictation, which annually unites Ukrainians around the world, caused a real wave of indignation in 2025. While participants found the text modern and inspiring, the manner in which it was read caused a flurry of criticism.

Emotions after the 2025 radio dictation

The main topic of discussion on social media was actress Natalia Sumska, who read the dictation. According to participants, the reading pace was so fast that many simply could not keep up with writing. At the same time, users noted the lack of intonation and emotion, which caused the structure of the sentences to be lost.

Journalist and philologist Viktor Shlinchak admitted that for the first time in ten years he was unable to finish the dictation: ‘Natalia Sumskaya rushed so much that I wanted to say: Don't push the horses! Then she mixed up the sentences, and I automatically wrote them down incorrectly. This time, unfortunately, without me.’

Actor Yevhen Yanovych supported his colleague, joking: ‘Natalia Sumska reads the first sentence. Everyone who is writing the dictation: Don't push the horses!’

Last year's dictation winner, Khristina Goyanyuk, was particularly indignant. According to her, in 26 years of participation, this was the first time that the text literally ‘knocked her off her feet.’ She called the reading unsuccessful and the text itself superficial.

However, not everyone shares this opinion. Minister of Culture Tetiana Berezhna, on the contrary, praised the dictation and noted that she ‘barely kept up with Natalia.’ According to her, despite the pace, the idea of the event is still important and unites the country.

‘Please don't let Sumskaya read the dictation anymore, it's just a disaster!’ wrote another participant in the flash mob on social media.

What Natalia Sumskaya herself said

In response to the wave of criticism, the actress stated that she tried to adhere to orthoepic norms and maintain pauses: ‘I think everything worked out. For some it was good, for others it was too fast — today we had a lesson in shorthand.’

Her comment sparked new discussions. Users noted that reading a radio dictation is a special responsibility and requires professional diction, not artistic performance.

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Reaction of the organisers

The head of Hromadske, Mykola Chernotitsky, publicly apologised to the participants: "We value all opinions and do not shy away from criticism. We will conduct separate editorial work to ensure that this does not happen again."

The organisers emphasised that the format of the dictation has remained unchanged since 2000, and that the participation of public figures is a way to draw attention to the Ukrainian language.

Radio dictation is not only a test of knowledge, but also a symbol of unity. If you feel proud of Ukraine and want to express it in your everyday life, check out the merchandise from Visit Ukraine.

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Reminder! The Odessa Film Festival 2025 has unveiled new films for Ukrainian and international audiences. The programme includes exciting premieres, bold experiments and stories that make you look at reality in a different way. Find out which premieres are worth paying attention to.

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