RACISM IN RUSSIA AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE CAUCASIAN REGION AND PEOPLES

Nowadays, Russia is one of those countries which crucially suffer from the racist sentiments and movements. In this country, radical right has an extensive social base and both ruling party and some other political entities can put forward examples of extreme nationalism. Caucasian-origin people have been the most negatively influenced group from these approaches since the beginning. The Caucasian immigrants from Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan as well as the Northern Caucasians already holding Russian citizenship have been target of numerous violent attacks especially in the 2000s. At the same time, rising racism in Russia strengthens expectations from the government to follow more active imperialist policies as racist groups more intensely defend and voice the rights of the Russians living in the former Soviet republics. Furthermore, these groups provide an additional fighting power in the clashes between Russia and post-Soviet countries and in this sense, they compose a significant dimension of the interstate relations in this geography