Copyright © 2024 Euromaidanpress.com

The work of Euromaidan Press is supported by the International Renaissance Foundation

When referencing our materials, please include an active hyperlink to the Euromaidan Press material and a maximum 500-character extract of the story. To reprint anything longer, written permission must be acquired from [email protected].

Privacy and Cookie Policies.

Russia’s constitution must declare ethnic Russians country’s only ‘state-forming people,’ Korovin says

The Russian March in Moscow. The sign says: "Return Russia to Russians!"
The Russian March in Moscow. The sign says: “Return Russia to Russians!”
Russia’s constitution must declare ethnic Russians country’s only ‘state-forming people,’ Korovin says
Edited by: A. N.

Valery Korovin, a member of the Izborsky Club, has asked Russia’s Civic Chamber of which he is also a member to press for amending the Russian Federation Constitution to include a declaration that the Russian nation is the unique “state-forming people” in the country.

He argues that “the legal enshrinement of this status would be an important step toward bringing the model of inter-ethnic relations into line with one corresponding to its centuries-long experience rather than one which corresponds to the ideological stereotypes of the 1990s.”

And he suggests that such a step will undercut the appeals of what he calls “’national marginals,’” who organize “’Russian marches’” and promote the notion of “’an ethnic Russian republic’” because they feel that the state in which they are the predominant ethnic group does not recognize its importance.

It is unclear whether the Civic Chamber will support Korovin’s call, but even his appeal for such backing is likely to destabilize ethnic relations in the Russian Federation. Last week, the Supreme Court of the Republic of Sakha defined the Sakha people in much the same way that Korovin wants the Russian Constitution to do for Russians in the country as a whole.

That decision [for a discussion, see “Sakha Constitutional Court in Russia rules ‘all the territory of Yakutia is the historical motherland of the Yakut people“] has infuriated many Russian nationalists, but its most important consequence, especially given Korovin’s words, is likely to be that other non-Russian republics will take similar steps in the near future.

Most Soviet and Russian leaders have recognized the wisdom articulated most clearly 60 years ago in émigré historian I.A. Kurganov’s classic work, “The Nations of the USSR and the Russian Question,” that the gravest danger to the country is not non-Russian activism on its own but the kind of assertive Russian nationalism that will alienate all the others.

In Soviet times and in the 1990s, Kremlin leaders understood this; but it is far from clear that Vladimir Putin does, not only because like ever more Russian leaders he has adopted an increasingly short-term approach to problems but also because he seems infected by a Russian nationalist approach not tempered by another ideology or by pragmatism.

Consequently, the Kremlin leader may be inclined to go along with what Korovin is calling for precisely because the Izborsky Club activist has suggested it will solve one of the Kremlin’s immediate problems, excessive activism by Russian nationalists that the regime has difficulty controlling.

But if Putin does so, he will be putting his country at risk over a slightly longer period, something that cooler heads in Moscow are likely to point out. Whether he will listen to their advice or continue to function in his alternative reality, of course, very much remains an open question.


Edited by: A. N.
You could close this page. Or you could join our community and help us produce more materials like this.  We keep our reporting open and accessible to everyone because we believe in the power of free information. This is why our small, cost-effective team depends on the support of readers like you to bring deliver timely news, quality analysis, and on-the-ground reports about Russia's war against Ukraine and Ukraine's struggle to build a democratic society. A little bit goes a long way: for as little as the cost of one cup of coffee a month, you can help build bridges between Ukraine and the rest of the world, plus become a co-creator and vote for topics we should cover next. Become a patron or see other ways to support. Become a Patron!

To suggest a correction or clarification, write to us here

You can also highlight the text and press Ctrl + Enter

Please leave your suggestions or corrections here



    Euromaidan Press

    We are an independent media outlet that relies solely on advertising revenue to sustain itself. We do not endorse or promote any products or services for financial gain. Therefore, we kindly ask for your support by disabling your ad blocker. Your assistance helps us continue providing quality content. Thank you!

    Related Posts