November 19, 2024

Watch Your Mother Tongue


Watch Your Mother Tongue
Flag of Azerbaijan in Baku. Gulustan, Wikimedia Commons.

A group of international university students in Moscow is being investigated for terrorism for shouting slogans in Azerbaijani and carrying the country's flag. The investigation comes amids=t a rise in xenophobia and racism across Russia since the Crocus City Hall shooting.

On the morning of November 16, a video circulated of Azerbaijani students shouting inside a university staircase. Some of them were wearing the country's flag on their backs. In the recording, the students can be heard saying the country's name and another phrase in Azerbaijani.

The ultra-right-wing Telegram channel that shared the video, "Mnogonatsional," falsely claimed that the students were chanting "Cut the Russians." After better-quality versions surfaced, "Mnogonatsional" changed its tune. The channel later said that the students were chanting "Long live Azerbaijan" and were not inciting violence, while still using racist language against the students. The Investigative Committee of Moscow is investigating the veracity of the video and assessing whether they were shouting "illegal slogans."

It remains unclear whether the events occurred at the University of Finance and Law of Moscow or the Finance University of the Russian Government. However, the students were holding the flag of the former institution. The University of Finance and Law of Moscow denied the events took place inside its premises. Yet, in a statement, the academic institution's representatives called the students "provocateurs" and added that their authorities were collaborating with the police in their investigation.

The University of Finance and Law said that while it embraced "a multicultural, multiracial, multiethnic, and inclusive regimen of education and employment," it would expel the chant leaders. 

In this latest wave of racism and xenophobia, Russia has seen record deportations of migrants, largely from Central Asian countries like Azerbaijan.

You Might Also Like

From immigrant to emigrant
  • November 10, 2024

From immigrant to emigrant

Russian immigration authorities recently deported some 20,000 immigrants, part of an ongoing immigration crackdown.
Population Problems
  • October 23, 2024

Population Problems

According to a UN report, Russian population numbers may have already passed their peak. 
Deportations Double
  • June 03, 2024

Deportations Double

The Ministry of Internal Affairs reported dramatic increases in deportations and entry refusals. 
Migrant Flow Slows to Trickle
  • February 25, 2024

Migrant Flow Slows to Trickle

Immigration into Russia from Central Asian countries has slowed since the start of Russia's War on Ukraine.
Like this post? Get a weekly email digest + member-only deals

Some of our Books

The Little Humpbacked Horse
November 03, 2014

The Little Humpbacked Horse

A beloved Russian classic about a resourceful Russian peasant, Vanya, and his miracle-working horse, who together undergo various trials, exploits and adventures at the whim of a laughable tsar, told in rich, narrative poetry.

Fish
February 01, 2010

Fish

This mesmerizing novel from one of Russia’s most important modern authors traces the life journey of a selfless Russian everywoman. In the wake of the Soviet breakup, inexorable forces drag Vera across the breadth of the Russian empire. Facing a relentless onslaught of human and social trials, she swims against the current of life, countering adversity and pain with compassion and hope, in many ways personifying Mother Russia’s torment and resilience amid the Soviet disintegration.

Jews in Service to the Tsar
October 09, 2011

Jews in Service to the Tsar

Benjamin Disraeli advised, “Read no history: nothing but biography, for that is life without theory.” With Jews in Service to the Tsar, Lev Berdnikov offers us 28 biographies spanning five centuries of Russian Jewish history, and each portrait opens a new window onto the history of Eastern Europe’s Jews, illuminating dark corners and challenging widely-held conceptions about the role of Jews in Russian history.

The Moscow Eccentric
December 01, 2016

The Moscow Eccentric

Advance reviewers are calling this new translation "a coup" and "a remarkable achievement." This rediscovered gem of a novel by one of Russia's finest writers explores some of the thorniest issues of the early twentieth century.

Driving Down Russia's Spine
June 01, 2016

Driving Down Russia's Spine

The story of the epic Spine of Russia trip, intertwining fascinating subject profiles with digressions into historical and cultural themes relevant to understanding modern Russia. 

Murder at the Dacha
July 01, 2013

Murder at the Dacha

Senior Lieutenant Pavel Matyushkin has a problem. Several, actually. Not the least of them is the fact that a powerful Soviet boss has been murdered, and Matyushkin's surly commander has given him an unreasonably short time frame to close the case.

Russian Rules
November 16, 2011

Russian Rules

From the shores of the White Sea to Moscow and the Northern Caucasus, Russian Rules is a high-speed thriller based on actual events, terrifying possibilities, and some really stupid decisions.

About Us

Russian Life is a publication of a 30-year-young, award-winning publishing house that creates a bimonthly magazine, books, maps, and other products for Russophiles the world over.

Latest Posts

Our Contacts

Russian Life
73 Main Street, Suite 402
Montpelier VT 05602

802-223-4955