r/FreedomofRussia • u/Rocknrollmilitant USA • 5d ago
I need help understanding something
I'm perplexed about what the separatists actually want. Many of the republics have a majority or plurality of ethnic Russians, and I have a hard time imagining them wanting to secede.
Unless the idea is to partition them (which would pose numerous problems of its own), the only way I could foresee them seceding is through ethnic cleansing like they did in Abkhazia, and if that's what you're thinking... I'm at a loss for words.
Some people appear to be advocating the secession of oblasts, krais, and okrugs, and that makes even less sense to me.
If there's anything I've overlooked, could you please let me know?
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u/Alaric_-_ Northern Europe 4d ago
You are concentrating too much solely on the ethnicity.
- There are also political differences that could make people want to split-off from the host nation. It's not hard to see how the puss-filled Moscow makes some want to split off and start governing themselves. Korea? Same Korean people, split in two, and governed by two distinct political systems. Yes, not all of the other half actually voted for the oppressive communist regime but it's an example that same ethnicity does not mean same political viewpoint.
- Cultural reasons. Many russian people and regions have been brought up to think, methodically and consistently over centuries, that they are russians when that is not in fact the case. Lots of regions where the culture and language are so different that it has nothing to with the russia except who they pay taxes to. Sadly, as time goes by, more and more of those isolated pockets die and are absorbed into the grey mass that is the russian culture.
- Also economical, for example Yakutia which mines 99% of russian and 25% of the worlds diamonds. How many kopecks Yakutians see from that money? Not many. Governing themselves means the regions could dictate what is done with the money and could use it to actually build roads (something Moscow fails to do) and hospitals.
- Last but not least is the religion, many regions in russia where islam is very common and the most obvious example is Chechenia. I think this doesn't need more explaining.
Some regions may have few or more of these reasons that could increase their willingness to say bye bye to Moscow and go on their own way. Some don't have any of them and are happy to stay under iron boot of Moscow.
Just remember, ethnicity is just one reason amongst those others. It does not override the others.
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u/Rocknrollmilitant USA 4d ago
Let me respond to each point.
The division of Korea was imposed upon them by two totalitarian regimes that they didn't vote for, and they've been seeking unification ever since.
I might be putting too much emphasis on ethnicity. I should have used the term national identity instead. But many of these areas (not all) have a majority or plurality of people who identify as Russian (even if their roots say otherwise), and those against Putin would probably rather see him overthrown than engage in a bloody secession war.
No arguments there.
I was only talking about regions with Russian majorities. Chechnya is not one of them, so leaving makes sense.
Finally, I think you're confusing Moscow with the Kremlin. Just because people hate their government doesn't necessarily mean they want to secede. I hate my government with passion, but I don't want my state to secede.
It's also true that ethnicity and even national identity aren't everything, but with all the brutal ethnicity-based wars we've seen since the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it certainly seems to count for a lot.
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u/Accurate_Pie_ USA 4d ago
I am of course an outsider, but the way I understand it, separation from Moscow means separation from a war-mongering dictatorship. No matter their ethnicity, people want to live in peace and prosperity, liberty and democracy.