Fear of bloody civil war and nationalist uprisings loom large on Russia? Read here to know

Vladimir Putin's decision to invade Ukraine has fueled separatist sentiment throughout Russia, notably inside the republics of the nation.

Russia's population is a rich patchwork of ethnicities and ethnic minorities, a remnant of the country's imperial past. Currently, around 200 ethnic groups dwell inside the limits of the contemporary Russian state, many of whom reside in one of the 22 national republics that comprise the country's physical framework.

On paper, these republics enjoy some autonomy, with their constitutions and legislatures. Their leaders, however, are appointed and closely controlled by the Kremlin, and they are expected to carry out Moscow's political agendas.



Growing dissatisfaction with the Kremlin's heavy-handed assimilation efforts, which attempt to stifle and eradicate local cultures and national identities, has spawned the latest generation of activists in the republics, who are increasingly demanding full independence from Russia.

Ruslan Gabbasov, the chairman of Bashnatspolit, is one such individual. In August, his organization claimed that it would begin fighting for a free Bashkortostan and establishing a Bashkir political country.

FAQs:

1. Where is Bashkortostan?
   Bashkortostan is in the middle of the Volga and the Ural Mountains are home to around four million Bashkirs, who are descended from Kipchak Turks.
2. What is the Civil War?
   A civil war is a conflict between organized parties within the same state. A goal is to seize control of the country or an area, obtain regional independence, or modify government policy.