“The Tatarstan leader Rustem Minnikhanov’s stance against the crackdown on migrants in Russia is a form of protest against the Kremlin’s chauvinist policy.” Political analyst Elkhan Shahinoglu said this in an interview with Medianews.az.
He stated that as a result of the Kremlin’s policy, chauvinist sentiments have increased in Russia: “Insulting migrants on the streets of Russian cities has become commonplace. Russian chauvinists do not distinguish among those they insult; they target all non-Russians. For example, there is no problem in relations between Russia and Uzbekistan, and there is partnership between the two countries. Nevertheless, the insult of an Uzbek migrant who is a taxi driver and Russian chauvinist, belittling him, calling him a ‘slave of the Russians,’ and the spreading of this on the internet, has caused a wide resonance in Uzbekistan. The Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has sent a note to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.”
The political analyst believes that as long as the aggressor war against Ukraine continues, chauvinism in Russia will increase further: “The Kremlin looks with hostility at any country cooperating with Ukraine and recognizing Ukraine’s territorial integrity and at the citizens of that country. Non-Russian peoples living in Russia also feel this tendency. The leader of Tatarstan is right. The targeting of migrant families by Russian government structures, depriving the children of migrants of the right to education, is a sign of chauvinism. Minnikhanov took a risk. The Kremlin does not forgive even those who protest his decisions in a mild form. Although the Kremlin has not yet decided under current conditions to replace Rustem Minnikhanov with a more loyal person, it will try to realize this desire in the future.”
Toğrul Ali,
Medianews.az
