Moscow’s Use of Non-Russians as Cannon Fodder in Putin’s War in Ukraine Further Alienating Former Soviet Republics

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Jan. 7 – Moscow’s disproportionate use of ethnic minorities as cannon fodder in Putin’s war in Ukraine has long infuriated non-Russian activists, but there is now evidence that it is having an impact on how some in the former Soviet republics view what is an increasingly nationalistic Russian Federation.

            Evidence of such attitudes, ones with potentially far-reaching consequences, comes from Azerbaijan where Minval commentator Nurani writes about Moscow’s use of Dagestanis as “cannon fodder for the Ukrainian war” and points out that more than 1700 men from that North Caucasus republic have died as a result (minval.az/news/124509719).

            Dagestanis are fully aware of how many men they have lost, and they were the first to protest the expanded intake of men into the Russian army after Putin expanded his war in Ukraine in 2022. Now that the Kremlin leader needs more men to fill the ranks in what appears to be a never-ending war, Dagestanis and other non-Russians are likely to be more upset.

            But possibly more important, Durani continues, “the war in Ukraine has led to a general increase in chauvinism in Russian society, where not only malicious ‘migrants’ are targeted, but also Dagestanis. The case of activists from the so-called Russian Community beating a Dagestani man even had to be discussed during Vladimir Putin's ‘direct line’ Q&A session.”

“How many such cases don't even make it into police reports is anyone's guess,” the Azerbaijani commentator says. “But in Dagestani cities and villages, people are very well aware of them and they are also aware that the police are not in a hurry to protect Dagestanis” and other non-Russian minorities.

Moscow should remember that the burdens of war, including this one, could trigger a revolutionary explosion. That is what happened in 1915 and 1916 where protests by non-Russians in the rear led to the risings that ended with the revolutions of February and October 1917, Durani says.

He concludes that “it would be wise” for everyone involved to learn from this,” including Russia’s neighbors who can see that the increasingly nationalist behavior of the Kremlin reflects its more general hostility to non-Russians not only within the current borders of the Russian Federation but beyond them as well.