The article highlights key phases of legalization of Ukrainian language as a state(official) language with the Ukrainian constitutional order. The analysis of the «Kolesnichenko-Kivalov’s Law» (№ 5029-VI of 3 July 2012) is presented in the light of the foundations of the statelanguage policy laid down in the 1996 Constitution, leading to a conclusion that the whole Law isunconstitutional. The article mainly aims to change the paradigm of perception of status and roleof the Ukrainian language in public life. It is argued against a perception of the Ukrainianlanguage as solely a cultural phenomenon, and in favor of treating it as a phenomenon of a legalsphere where it is stands as an institute of the statehood on the basis of the inseparable triad:language — nation — state.