Kremlin Understands Importance of Russia’s Indigenous Peoples Better than Russian Opposition Does, Sulyandziga Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, May 17 – The Russian government’s efforts to repress organizations representing the indigenous peoples of Russia strongly suggests that the Kremlin understands their importance far more than do many members of the Russian democratic opposition, Pavel Sulyandiga says.

            The Russian government understands that international law is based on the rights of peoples rather than states and wants to keep the indigenous peoples from speaking out in internationally, the US-based activist says (novayagazeta.eu/articles/2025/05/17/zemliachka-prosila-chtoby-ia-otgovoril-ee-syna-idti-dobrovoltsem-na-voinu).

            Moreover, the Putin regime wants to block the formation of any common structure that would unite the organizations of the indigenous peoples and the Russian opposition, especially now when the former are changing from supporters of Putin’s war in Ukraine to its committed opponents with some fleeing into the forests to avoid serving in the Russian military.

            For these reasons, Moscow has adopted a much harder line against the indigenous organizations and leaders than many might expect, especially among some of the leaders of the Russian democratic opposition who appear to believe that the indigenous are so small in number as to be unworthy of much attention, the activist who hopes for bridges to them says.

            For background on Sulyandiga and his work first in cooperation with Russian officials and then in opposition to them, see https://windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2020/11/ussuri-activist-now-in-us-exile-recalls.html. For his efforts to counter Kremlin pressure and form an alliance with the Russian opposition, see windowoneurasia2.blogspot.com/2025/04/numerically-small-peoples-of-north-and.html.