The Kremlin is facing increasing – albeit still very limited – domestic opposition from ethnic minorities, who are disproportionately bearing the brunt of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Statistics on the deaths of minority soldiers in combat would be devastating.
The “Asians of Russia Foundation” was established in 2022 by activists to represent the Asian national minorities and indigenous peoples of Russia. The organization officially supports “vulnerable and numerically small peoples who are discriminated against by the Russian state” and aims to preserve their identities, explains the organization’s founder. Wassili Matenow.
He emphasizes that another goal of the organization is to end the war in Ukraine, as the statistics on the deaths of minority soldiers in combat are devastating.
“Poor is Putin’s cannon fodder”
It is estimated that in the coming weeks it will become increasingly difficult for the Russian army to obtain personnel and equipment. Until now, Russian President Vladimir Putin relied mainly on “poor people from rural areas”. “They come from working-class towns in Siberia and are disproportionately ethnic minorities. And they are his cannon fodder,” British intelligence chief Richard Moore said.
Adviser to Ukrainian Interior Minister Anton Gerashchenko, citing Ukrainian sources that Russian authorities pay families of deceased soldiers from Moscow three times as much as families of soldiers from the minority-dominated region of Buryatia.
In Tuva and Buryatia, protest groups have already formed in ethnic minority enclaves. They are protesting the Kremlin that is drawing its military forces from the fringes of Russian society, as is the website Understandingwar.org.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
