Ukrainian lawmakers brawl over Russian language bill

A Ukrainian parliamentary debate on the increased use of the Russian language descended into chaos Thursday, with dozens of lawmakers fighting over the bill.

Members of President Viktor Yanukovych’s party brawled with opposition figures over legislation that would expand Russian’s use to see it become Ukraine’s de facto second national language.

Ukraine, a former Soviet state, has a large Russian-speaking community. Yanukovych has pledged to make Russian the second language, but pro-Western opposition figures are against the move.

Video footage from parliament shows one lawmaker assailing the assembly speaker. About 10 other people can be seen punching at each other, and one man is restrained in a head lock.

At least one politician was taken to hospital following the violence.

Several brawls have erupted in the Ukrainian parliament over the years, including one in 2010 that was widely televised and saw lawmakers throwing eggs at eachother.