Back in January of this year, at a celebration proclaiming 2024 to be Russia’s “Year of the Family,” Vladimir Putin had this to say about the diversity and the unity of the largest single country on Earth:

“Undoubtedly, family values consolidate society. I will say more: Russia itself is indeed a huge family, a family of families. That is how different ethnic groups have lived here together in peace and perfect harmony for centuries, and the diversity of their cultures, languages, and customs never divided them, no — on the contrary, it keeps Russia together. Because we share the values of a large, close-knit family — they make us stronger, more confident, and united.” [President of Russia News, January 23, 2024.] [Bold emphasis is mine.]

Fine words, indeed. One might even say, inspirational. If only they were sincere.

In four short sentences, Putin managed to deny centuries of his country’s history of religious and ethnic persecution, of pogroms and diasporas. Tell it to the Armenians and the Azeris, to the Chechens, to the Jews whose Soviet internal passports declared them to be a separate nationality and not truly Russian.

But never mind all of that. Today we’re one big, happy, loving, TV sitcom-style family. Sure, we are.

Until we grow up and begin declaring our independence, that is.

And since the breakup of the Soviet Union into 15 separate, sovereign countries in 1991, there have been rumblings throughout the largest of the 15 — the Russian Federation — of regional movements toward different levels of autonomy, from the simple right to control specific local governmental functions (much like the 50 U.S. states), to total separation.

In 2022, an organization known as the Post-Russia Free Nations Forum was created and registered in Poland, describing itself as “a civic movement advocating for greater regional autonomy within Russia.” [RFE/RL’s Idel. Realities, November 22, 2024.] The timing in relation to Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine seems more than a little coincidental. And now, the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) has launched a case against the Forum, designating its activities as a threat to Russia’s territorial integrity and national security. [Id.]

The PGO alleges in its statement that the Forum operates through 172 regional and national entities, and that these groups are directed by exiled leaders of separatist movements. The PGO’s website states:

“These leaders aim to divide the Russian Federation into independent states that would fall under the influence of hostile foreign countries.”

And indeed, the Forum’s activities have included discussions on decentralization and independence. So the Putin government has taken action to fight the Forum’s influence in Russia by declaring it a terrorist organization. As of November 22nd, all activities of the Forum are banned in Russia, and membership in or association with the group is cause for criminal prosecution under Russia’s anti-terrorism laws.

Since the Forum is registered in Poland and operates outside of Russia, its “terrorist” designation within Russia is of little effect on its external activities. But it does further tighten the reins on the Russian population, which has already been subjected to an ever-growing series of onerous laws against any and all forms of dissent.

This has such a familiar ring to it . . . like “deja vu all over again.” I’m reminded of . . . oh, what was that good old Beatles song?

Yes, of course . . . it was “Back In the U.S.S.R.”

Keep something long enough, and it’s bound to come back into style.

Just sayin’ . . .

Brendochka
12/4/24