'80% of Bashkirs Support The Idea Of Independence'

Will Bashkortostan rise?

Ruslan Gabbasov, head of the committee of the Bashkir National Movement Abroad, said in an interview with NV that Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine strengthened the desire for independence in Bashkortostan.

After the outbreak of the great war, society in Bashkortostan split: many people, inclined to succumb to Russian propaganda, believed in Nazism in Ukraine, and, at the same time, more supporters of the republic's withdrawal from the Russian Federation appeared in the protest part of society, who were previously ready to be satisfied with expanded powers within Russia.

"If two years ago, the Bashkir people perceived the words about independence skeptically, laughed, did not believe, today a sufficiently large number of people come over to our side and believe that only independence will save the people. Among them are many figures of culture and science. They cannot speak openly about their position, but in personal conversations they support the idea of independence," said the Bashkir activist.

According to him, this gives good prospects, since supporters of the independence of Bashkortostan have support within the people.

"If we take the Bashkirs, then about 80% support the idea of independence of Bashkortostan, among the Tatars — about half are positive. As for the Russians, of course, more than 80% do not support the idea of an independent Bashkortostan. Therefore, the situation is ambiguous," Gabbasov said.