Paul Goble
Since the very beginning of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s expanded war against Ukraine in February 2022, Russian observers have noted that the conflict has made it far easier for the residents of the Russian Federation to acquire guns. Some estimate that there are now far more than the 20 million weapons in private hands and that the weapons Russians now have are far more lethal as well (see EDM, November 29, 2022, September 11; Novaya Gazeta Europe, April 2, 2024). Immigrants from Central Asia and the Caucasus, along with non-Russians indigenous to and citizens of the Russian Federation, are among those who have acquired the most guns over the last three years.
The reasons for this conclusion are largely of the Russian government’s own making. The Kremlin has adopted an ever-tougher line against immigrant groups, prompting the latter to seek to defend themselves. Moscow has also disproportionately used non-Russians as a source of troops for its war. This means they are in a position to be disproportionately larger sources of such weapons for people back home. Moreover, in many cases, Moscow has treated its non-ethnic Russian citizens in ways that predispose these people to share the desire of immigrants to have their own weapons.
No comments:
Post a Comment