Ukrainian language varieties and styles

Surzhyk (Ukrainian and Russian: , , ) is a mixture between Ukrainian and Russian languages, used in certain regions of Ukraine and the neighboring regions of Russia and Moldova. The phenomenon of surzhyk is commonly interpreted as an application of Russian-language words and idioms in combination with Ukrainian speech, which makes it essentially a heavily Russified version of colloquial Ukrainian, although the opposite process can also take place.

Balachka (; ) is the traditional language of the Kuban Cossacks. It is spoken in the Kuban region of southern Russia, particularly in present-day Krasnodar Krai. It developed among the Black Sea Cossacks who were resettled to the region in the late 18th century from territories of the former Zaporizhian Sich.