Repatriation to Russia loses its appeal for Circassians abroad
The programme for resettling Adyge people from other countries to Kabardino-Balkaria is designed for only 20 families during three years. However, there are no conditions or grounds for expanding the above programme, as there are few Circassians abroad who want to move to Russia.
The resettlement programme is ineffective and unclaimed, believes human rights defender Valery Khatazhukov.
“Twenty families is not a limitation. There are simply no volunteers because there are no conditions. Russian-speaking compatriots receive citizenship of Russia in a simplified manner: they do not take any exams, and they receive Russian passports very quickly. But members of indigenous peoples’ communities cannot receive Russian citizenship in a simplified manner,” Valery Khatazhukov told a “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
According to the terms of the resettlement programme, compatriots who speak Russian may apply for resettlement, the human rights defender has emphasized. “At the same time, the status of Russian compatriots” is being regulated by the Federal Law No. 99 (dated May 24, 1999), and it contains no mandatory requirement for a person to speak the Russian state language. Article 68 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation states that the peoples of those republics, indigenous peoples, may establish their own languages as state languages, and they must function equally with the Russian state language. So, all this does not work,” Valery Khatazhukov claimed.
Many of them still cannot obtain citizenship, and some had to leave
The human rights defender has noted that the resettlement programme does not provide free housing and even in past decades, repatriates were not provided with housing. Valery Khatazhukov mentioned the example of the resettlement of Circassian refugees from Syria.
“There was a humanitarian catastrophe in Syria. The historical homeland should have taken care of the refugees, but the Russian federal authorities did nothing for the protection of refugees. The ‘Pyret’ organization was able to invite only 2000 people privately. They were accommodated, and Russian language courses were organized for them. And they integrated in the society, but the state did not take part in their integration. Many of them still cannot obtain citizenship, and some had to leave,” Valery Khatazhukov emphasized.
The number of repatriates established by the resettlement programme for three years probably reflects the real possibilities for social support for those who express a desire to relocate to Russia, believes historian and public figure Zaur Kozhev. “In addition, the general situation in the country has changed. The Russian Federation is now probably not the most attractive place where people would agree to resettle,” Zaur Kozhev told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
The federal authorities want to introduce a rule that a person must already (upon entering the country) know Russian perfectly
Restrictions for compatriots who do not speak Russian also hinder mass repatriation. “The situation could be improved by changes in the procedure for issuing residence permits and passports with the inclusion of Adyge natives in the register of those who have the right to the Russian documents, as compatriots, knowing the Adyge language. However, the federal authorities want to introduce a rule that a person must already (upon entering the country) know Russian perfectly,” Zaur Kozhev explained. The historian has also added that he had not heard about cases when the Russian state provided migrants with housing.
At present, the number of Circassians who wish to return to their historical homeland from Turkey, Germany, Jordan, Syria, the USA, Israel, and other countries is unlikely to be large, although there is no exact information on this issue, notes activist and blogger Andzor Kabard.
“This return means emigration to a zone of specific Russian jurisdiction with all its repressive laws, to which are added the risks of mobilization and deterioration of the socio-economic climate in the country,” Andzor Kabard told the “Caucasian Knot” correspondent.
The known laws and legislative initiatives in Russia are aimed primarily at Russian-speaking compatriots. However, the mentioned laws and legislative initiatives ignore people who speak other indigenous languages of the country, and especially people who have already lost knowledge of their native languages.
“The declared scale of the resettlement programme in Kabardino-Balkaria is nothing, and it is just a tick in the papers. I do not think that there are any mechanisms that could improve the situation. If Russia needs Circassians today, then only as cannon fodder at the front line. There hasn’t been, is not, and, within the limits of the forecast, will not be any significant repatriation programme. And in principle, calling people to move to Russia today, in my opinion, is dishonest,” Andzor Kabard concluded.
This was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on May 22, 2025 at 12:56 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.