A large new nationality is emerging in the Russian Federation, a more than 800,000-strong group now called “Russian citizens of Tajik origin,” which Moscow is struggling to manage and that challenges how the Russian government will deal with others.
Culturally and linguistically Tajik but legally Russian, Russian citizens of Tajik origin cannot easily be forced to leave, forced to assimilate, or blocked from forming ethnic enclaves except at the price of Moscow’s relationship with Tajikistan and its base there.
Moscow is addressing these problems by promoting the political careers of some Russian citizens of Tajik origin. This approach may help in the short term but is likely to trigger larger problems in the future.
by Paul Globe/The Jamestown Foundation – ‘Russian Citizens of Tajik Origin’ Pose New National Challenges for Moscow
