BASHKORTOSTAN | Russia’s Rebel Republic?

The start of 2024 saw Bashkortostan, Russia’s most populous republic, erupt in violent protests, highlighting the growing unrest and ethnic tensions within the country. Sparked by the arrest of a local activist, Fail Alsynov, this surge of dissent was fed by the war in Ukraine and the disproportionate impact it has had on Russia’s ethnic minorities. It has also led to renewed speculation about the potential for Russia’s internal disintegration. But do the events in Bashkortostan really suggest that Russia could be on the verge of collapse? Bashkortostan’s riots have prompted many to question the stability of the Russian Federation, a vast country with a complex tapestry of nearly 200 ethnic groups and a range of religions, divided into numerous federal subjects. Named after the ethnic Bashkirs, a Muslim Turkic group, Bashkortostan is Russia’s sixth-largest republic by area and the most populous. It also has a rich history and significant economic resources. Having been an autonomous Ru