Kremlin’s New North Caucasus Identity Initiative: A Renewed Russification Policy

According to sources cited by RBC, officials are discussing measures designed to bring the values of North Caucasian populations closer to what the Kremlin considers a common Russian civic identity. The proposals reportedly include promoting the Russian national flag, discouraging what authorities describe as radicalism, and encouraging residents to view themselves primarily as citizens of Russia while maintaining regional affiliations.

Supporters of the initiative argue that a stronger all-Russian identity could foster economic development, tourism, and social cohesion. However, critics contend that such policies have historically served as instruments of assimilation, gradually subordinating local identities to a centralized state narrative.

The discussions are reportedly being led by the Kremlin’s domestic policy bloc in cooperation with state-affiliated experts and institutions. One official involved in the process described the objective as placing various components of identity into a “proper hierarchy,” a phrase that has raised concerns among observers who fear it implies the prioritization of Russian state identity over ethnic, linguistic, and cultural self-identification.

The North Caucasus is home to numerous indigenous peoples, including Circassians, Chechens, Ingush, Avars, Kumyks, Ossetians, Balkars, Karachays, and others, each possessing distinct historical traditions, languages, and cultural institutions. For many activists and scholars, attempts to redefine identity from above evoke memories of earlier imperial and Soviet-era policies aimed at integrating diverse peoples into a dominant Russian political and cultural framework.

Federal officials have insisted that strengthening Russian civic identity does not contradict the preservation of national identities. Nevertheless, critics argue that in practice such policies often create a hierarchy in which ethnic identities become increasingly symbolic while political loyalty to the state becomes the primary marker of belonging.

The reported initiative comes amid broader debates about cultural autonomy, language preservation, and the future of minority identities within the Russian Federation. For some observers, the proposal represents not merely an effort to promote civic unity but a continuation of long-standing Russification policies that seek to dilute the distinct identities of the North Caucasus peoples under a unified state-centered identity.

Although no formal policy has yet been announced, the discussions have already sparked concern among those who view the region’s cultural diversity as incompatible with projects designed to elevate a single overarching national identity above all others.

Source: kommersant