Has the Moscow Attack Made Russia More Xenophobic?

April 5, 2024

Russia has seen a resurgence in xenophobic sentiment since the suspected gunmen in the Crocus City Hall attack were identified as Tajikistan citizens. Moscow police have established special units to carry out document checks on motorways and in migrant hostels, and police raids targeting migrants have been seen in several Russian cities. This rise in migrant-phobia and xenophobia has drawn concern from NGOs and activists defending the rights of migrants and ethnic minorities in Russia.

For this episode, we asked Alexander Verkhovsky, head of the Sova Center think tank which researches nationalism and racism in Russia, about the dangerous rise in these sentiments. We then speak with Vika Maladaeva, co-founder of the Free Buryatia Foundation and president of the Indigenous of Russia Foundation, about Russia’s problems with xenophobia.

Russia on the Record is a podcast where Moscow Times journalists, independent experts and ordinary Russians reflect, analyze and explain what’s going on in Russia right now.

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