Support The Moscow Times!

Putin Establishes Foundation to Preserve Russia’s Native Languages

Sergei Kiselyov / Moskva News Agency

President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that establishes a foundation to help preserve Russia’s native languages, the Kremlin announced on Friday. 

The measure comes in the wake of worries in Russia’s republics that their native languages are under threat. In June, the State Duma signed a bill into law that restricts the teaching of regional languages in school. While Russian is the country’s only national language, 35 languages are recognized officially and 111 are spoken throughout Russia, according to the Unrepresented Nations and People Organization (UNPO).

Putin’s decree calls for the new foundation “to create conditions for the preservation and study of the native languages ​​of the peoples of the Russian Federation, which are part of Russia’s national treasure and historical and cultural heritage.” 

The organization will be located in Moscow and will be run by the Education Ministry and the Federal Agency for Ethnic Affairs. It will be financed from the federal budget as well as through donations, according to the decree. 

“It is very important [to preserve native languages] because every year in the world a large number of languages and dialects disappear,” Putin was cited as saying by the state-run RIA Novosti news agency at an educational forum earlier this year. 

Meanwhile, Vyacheslav Nikonov, the chairman of the State Duma Committee for Education and Science, worried last year about the decline of Russian speakers. 

“In the Soviet Union everyone spoke Russian, but that older generation, which was entirely Russian-speaking, has disappeared in the past 25 years,” Nikonov said. He added that younger generations have grown up in an environment where Russian is no longer obligatory in schools.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more