War-Induced Violence in Russian Homes Likely to Increase Unless Country Decentralizes or Disintegrates, Bashurova Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, June 20 – The war in Ukraine is coming home to Russia in many ways, but one of the worst is the way in which it is leading to move violence in individual households with returning soldiers often inflicting violent acts on their wives and children, a situation that will only get worse as the war continues, according to Palladya Bashurova.

            The artist and femninist from Udmurtia who was forced to emigrate last year after a series of attacks by the authorities says that the Russian authorities do not show any willingness to address that problem. Only if Russia decentralizes or disintegrates is there a chance for that to happen (idelreal.org/a/32460757.html).

            That is because, Bashurova says, smaller territories can and have dealt with this problem more effectively, as in the case of Khanty-Mansiisk; and she believes that an Udmurtia with more authority over its own life and greater opportunities to cooperate with other Finno-Ugric nations and countries could do the same.

            Of course, she continues, there is a chance that Udmurtia and the others won’t take the necessary steps; but feminism among them is stronger and will be far more likely to succeed in pressing for real steps than feminism in such an enormous country as Russia where it is difficult to have all groups working together.