Siberian activist: Non-Russian republics must block Moscow from sending their sons to Ukraine

Sayana Mongush, a prominent Tyvan* activist who earlier served in that republic’s parliament, says that the governments of all non-ethnically-Russian republics of the Russian Federation must prevent Moscow from sending young men from their nations to fight in Ukraine. Otherwise, she says, they will be unable to prevent another round of genocide against their peoples. On her Facebook page yesterday, Mongush says that non-Russian legislators must act because “the death of one” of their own if their people numbers 100,000 is equal to the death of 1,000 Russians who number 140 million and thus constitutes a threat to the survival of their nations. The Tyvan activist said that she was particularly concerned about Russians who were recruiting irregular forces in non-ethnically-Russian areas because it is clear that Moscow is prepared to sacrifice any such non-Russian fighters with little concern because their deaths would allow Russia to do away with people many Russians consider mere “ballast” holding the country back. She says that she did not raise her sons to be “fertilizer” for one of Russia’s wars, especially given how Moscow treated Tyva in the 90s. Her sons and those around them had to cope with a situation in which hospitals there had no surgical instruments or linen. One had the feeling, she said, that Tyva “had been looted” when the Russian troops withdrew. Like many in her age cohort, she had few children. And she argues that is yet another reason why she will “never” allow her sons to fight in Moscow’s wars. “I will never be in love” with Moscow, Mongush concludes. “I have a long memory,” and it has “a big bill” to pay Tyvans and other non-Russians.