How closely related are Ukrainian and Russian?

These two languages only share about 60 percent of the same vocabulary. In fact, Ukranian is closer to Belarusian than it is to Russia concerning vocabulary. In other words, there is a greater difference between Russian and Ukrainian in terms of vocabulary than there is between most of the Romance languages.

Are Russians and Ukrainians genetically the same?

Genetic studies show that Russians are closest to Belarusians, Ukrainians, Poles, Slovaks, Slovenes, and many other Slavs, except for most Southern Slavs, such as Serbs or Bulgarians, who have predominantly Paleo-Balkan ancestry.

Does Ukrainian understand Russian?

While Ukrainian has been the sole official language of Ukraine since the country declared independence in 1991, Russian is still very widely used, to the extent that some describe Ukraine as a bilingual country, meaning that most Ukrainians speak and understand at least two languages: Russian and Ukrainian.

Is it legal to get married in Ukraine?

Proxy marriages are also not legal under Ukrainian law. Getting married in Ukraine can take from several weeks to several months. Both parties applying for marriage must have a legal status in Ukraine (Ukrainian citizenship, residency permit, visa, entry stamp in their passport, etc.).

How to get a divorce in Ukraine?

If there are children involved, the divorce can only be granted by a local court. More information is available at the State Registration and Notary Service of Ukraine (in Ukrainian only). The entire process can take several weeks to several months and can be very complex.

Can a Ukrainian citizen get a visa for the US?

Although you may intend a visit to the United States just to get acquainted in person, Ukrainian citizens associated with marriage brokers and dating services rarely overcome the legal obstacles to obtaining a nonimmigrant visa.