Navalnaya’s Comments about Common Culture of Russians and Non-Russians Only Deepen Divide between Them, Radicalizing Both

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Sept. 7 – Speaking in Slovenia, Yuliya Navalnaya, the widow of the Russian opposition politician, suggested that those calling for the independence of the non-Russian republics of the Russian Federation were ignoring “the shared backgrounds and culture” of Russians and non-Russians alike.

            Her words which echo those of Kremlin propagandists have outraged non-Russians who see the world in an entirely different way and beyond question have deepened the divide between Russian liberals and non-Russian activists, Gulnara Shuraleyeva, one of the latter, says (themoscowtimes.com/2024/09/06/navalnayas-decolonization-critique-proves-that-russias-liberal-opposition-hasnt-been-listening-to-indigenous-voices-a86280).

            And that in turn has led to the radicalization of many who may have hoped for cooperation and the development of genuine federalism but see Navalnaya’s words as evidence that even if liberals like her came to power, the situation of the non-Russians would remain dire unless they are able to get out from under Moscow’s thumb by securing their own independence.

            (For examples of such commentaries, see idelreal.org/a/narody-uderzhivalis-v-imperskih-kleschah-siloy-ruslan-aysin-o-kritike-navalnoy-dekolonialnoy-povestki/33109265.html, t.me/League_FN/2081, indigenous-russia.com/archives/39545, indigenous-russia.com/archives/39541 and svoboda.org/a/razzhigaet-nenavistj-blogery-posporili-iz-za-slov-yulii-navaljnoy/33108644.html.)

            By backing the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation just as clearly and unqualifiedly as does the Kremlin, Navalnaya may have won plaudits from Russian nationalists and regime loyalists as well as from those in the West who oppose the disintegration of Russia just as they opposed the disintegration of the USSR thirty years ago.

            But gratuitous remarks like hers will do little to slow the coming apart of the Russian Federation just as similar ones at the end of Soviet times didn’t slow a similar process but in fact had the unintended consequence of accelerating its demise, however hard those who made such remarks then now try to take credit for exactly what happened.