Paul Goble
Staunton, Sept. 17 – At a time when the US is cutting back or even eliminating programs directed at foreign audiences and the Russian government is slashing programs for Russians at home to pay for Putin’s war, Moscow is dramatically increasing its funding for the promotion of the Russian language and for cultivating loyalty to Moscow among foreigners.
A year ago, Putin called for such moves (interfax.ru/russia/964384); and they have now happened (istories.media/stories/2025/09/16/novoye-pokolenie-2025/). The Kremlin is now spending 3.5 times for to promote the Russian language abroad and more than 50 percent more to bring young people to Russia in hopes of winning them over as sympathizers to Moscow.
How successful either of these programs will be remains to be seen. Russian language use continues to decline internationally, and foreigners who get free trips to the Russian Federation may be put off rather than won over. But the money Moscow is spending shows that the Kremlin considers them as key to its expansion of Russian influence abroad.
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