NGO Chair: Yekaterinburg incidents should be regarded as crimes against humanity
Baku, June 29, AZERTAC
The raids targeting Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg demonstrate once again that repressions against ethnic minorities in Russia are not isolated incidents but the result of a systematic, ideologically driven state policy.
The attack by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) on Azerbaijani residences in Yekaterinburg, resulting in the deaths and severe injuries of our compatriots and the detention of nine individuals, starkly exposes the imperialist and nationalist essence of Russia’s policies, Jasarat Huseynzade, Chairman of the “Support for Information and Social Initiatives” Public Union told AZERTAC.
He stated that this is not merely an ethnically motivated crime against Azerbaijanis but a manifestation of Russia’s ongoing chauvinist and Rashist policies toward non-Russian peoples. In the 21st century, the international community recognizes this policy as “Rashism” – Russian fascism – a dangerous approach combining nationalist, militarist, and imperialist elements, entrenched as the ideological line of Vladimir Putin’s Kremlin.
Historically, a cornerstone of Russian ideology has been systematic hostility toward Turks, particularly Azerbaijanis. A glance at recent history reveals that over the past two to three centuries, the Russian Empire’s policies in the Caucasus have primarily targeted Azerbaijan, standing behind many of the region’s tragedies. In modern times, this policy is evident in the January 20, 1990, massacre, the Khojaly genocide, and Russia’s overt support for Armenia’s occupation.
Huseynzade noted that the recent ethnic terror against Azerbaijanis in Yekaterinburg is another official manifestation of this hostile attitude. Russia has neither apologized nor accepted responsibility for the downing of an AZAL civilian aircraft on its territory. This silence is a clear indicator of the Kremlin’s support for “Great Russian” chauvinism and imperial policy. The ideological foundation of this recurring policy is rooted in the Rashist worldview of Putin’s Kremlin, which forms the basis for discrimination against non-Russian peoples in both foreign and domestic policy.
Millions of minority peoples living in Russia are victims of this discrimination. It is no coincidence that the majority of military contingents sent to the war consist of non-Russian nationalities. The deployment of Muslim individuals to the frontlines is clear evidence of the Kremlin’s racist and fascist policies.
Renowned Russian publicist Alexander Nevzorov notes that chauvinism and imperialism act like “alcohol” for Russian society, replacing everything. According to him, Putin has turned this ideology into a toxic and contagious “epidemic.” Just as the “brown plague” (Nazism) threatened the world in the 20th century, Rashism now poses a similar danger. Rashism will not only bring tragedy to other nations but also to the Russian people, leading to fragmentation, internal conflict, and self-destruction.
“The incidents in Yekaterinburg must be regarded as crimes against humanity, and those who ordered these crimes should be held accountable under international law. If the Russian state does not endorse these raids as official policy, it must immediately apologize and punish those responsible,” Huseynzade added.
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