Background: More than most, Russia’s leaders have an imperative to maintain their country’s unity. Russia’s size, multinational demographics, uneven living standards and poorly developed infrastructure make this as difficult as it is urgent. It’s why the Kremlin is so sensitive to potential threats and closely monitors any flashpoint or hotbed of activity that could destabilize society.
What Happened: Speaking at the All-Russian Youth Educational Forum, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said internal threats are more dangerous to the country than external ones. Such problems, he argued, could make Russia go the way of Yugoslavia, Libya, Iraq or Syria. Related: Last week, Shoigu alleged that there are propaganda centers located in Warsaw, Riga and Tallinn that are meant to undermine Russia.
Bottom Line: It’s a curious statement: vague in that Shoigu didn’t call out anything in particular by name, but specific enough about internal affairs to pique our curiosity. That it was made at all calls into question the country’s stability, especially if he was trying to head off something in the future.
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