Russians in Kyrgyzstan

For historical reasons, the Russian population of Kyrgyzstan is concentrated in the north of the republic. The majority of Russians live in the capital of the country - Bishkek (192 thousand, 23%) and the surrounding capital of the Chui region (167 thousand and 21%), where they recently constituted the majority of the population. A certain number of Russians also live in the Issyk-Kul region (35 thousand and 8%). In the remaining oblasts, including Osh, where Uzbeks are relatively dominant among national minorities (and in the Talas oblast , the Kurds , who recently ousted Russians to third place), the number of Russians is currently minimal (0–3% of the population).

In Soviet times, a significant number of Russians also lived in the cities of Osh , Jalal-Abad , Maili-Sai in the south of the republic.

The data are given according to official censuses. According to the 1999 census, Russians who temporarily left for work in the Russian Federation are not taken into account in the total population.

• 1959 623.6 thousand (30.2%) ^[1]
• 1970 855.9 thousand (29.2%) ^[2]
• 1979 911.7 thousand (25.9%) ^[3]
• 1989 916.6 thousand (21.5%) ^[4]
• 1999 603.2 thousand (12.5%) ^[5]
• 2009 419.6 thousand (7.8%) ^[6]

Current accounting data for the period after the last census:

• 2011 394.7 thousand (7.2%) ^[6]
• 2015 364.5 thousand (6.2%) ^[7]

Regarding the other republics of Central Asia, the situation of Russians in Kyrgyzstan is satisfactory. Russian is the official language in the republic according to the Constitution. In the center of the capital is the Russian Drama Theater, the Russian language is actively used in preschool institutions, schools and universities. The outflow of the Russian population from Kyrgyzstan is mostly due to socio-economic reasons, although Russians, like other nationalities of the republic, are not subjected to ethnic discrimination in the country's labor market. Russian is spoken by 83% of the population of Kyrgyzstan ^[8] . The integration of Russians in the republic is somewhat hampered due to the non-possession of the overwhelming majority of the Russian population in the state (Kyrgyz) language. State policy is aimed at bringing together the peoples of Kyrgyzstan, at the time of all the presidents, starting with A. Akayev and K. Bakiev. In particular, the policy of “Kyrgyzstan is our common home” was proclaimed under Akayev, and under Akayev the post of prime minister was occupied by ethnic Russian (according to some sources Mordvin) Nikolai Tanayev , and under Bakiyev the prime minister was ethnic Russian ( Igor Chudinov ). The post of finance minister is Olga Lavrova . Under President A. Atambayev, closer integration of Kyrgyzstan and Russia took place within the framework of the Customs Union (later the EEU).

In the 1990s — 2000s. there was a massive emigration of the Russian population, mainly young and middle-aged. In 1989-1999 alone, the migration outflow of Russians from the republic amounted to 224,278 people ^[9] . This, in turn, led to a significant aging of the Russian population of the country and the deterioration of its demographic indicators. For example, in 2007, the natural decline of Russians in Kyrgyzstan amounted to 2,356 people ^[10] .

The outflow is associated primarily with the collapse of the USSR, the general deterioration of the quality of life in a crisis. The outflow is also facilitated by a more favorable socio-economic situation in Russia and the Program for the Return of Compatriots to Russia , which the Russians rightly use in Kyrgyzstan.

Due to intensive emigration, which affected primarily Russian citizens under the age of 45, there is an intensive aging process among the Russian population. Children under the age of 14 make up only 19.6% of all Russians (118 thousand people), over 65 years old - 13.0%. But among the Kyrgyz population, demographic processes are similar. The natural increase in the population of Bishkek is zero. According to the 2011 Bishkek City Hall, the average family size does not exceed three people for all categories of citizens, regardless of their ethnicity ^[11] .

The means of preserving Russian culture in Kyrgyzstan are holidays, during which Russian clothes are shown ( kokoshniki , dresses, scarves), Russian songs and dances, and proverb contests ^[12] . Russians in Kyrgyzstan, in addition to Christmas (January 7), Easter, celebrate Shrovetide ^[13] and Baptism . Orthodox Christmas is included in the list of official holidays of Kyrgyzstan. Leading Russian TV channels (First, RTR, Mir, NTV (NTS), RenTV) are broadcast throughout the country as part of television multiplexes.

Despite the normal relations between Russians and Kyrgyz in Kyrgyzstan, the victims of attacks by Russian ultranationalists (skinheads, etc.) are Kyrgyz, who remain in Russia as migrant workers. Only in 2008 in Russia, 10 people died of skinheads — persons of Kyrgyz nationality ^[14] . In August 2008, a peaceful march of citizens of Russian nationality took place in Bishkek, directed against the killing of Kyrgyz in Russia on the basis of racial hostility. This action was held under the slogan "We are afraid of a response!". The march was completed at the embassy of the Russian Federation, where a letter was delivered with the appeal of the Russians of Kyrgyzstan to the President of Russia Vladimir Putin. Some Russian media deliberately publish slanderous provocative articles about "genocide against the Russians", allegedly taking place in Kyrgyzstan in the early 1990s. After the terrorist attack on the St. Petersburg metro by the Uzbek and Russian citizen Dzhalilov about the Kyrgyz people who absolutely had no relation to the terrorist attack, the majority of Russians had a negative opinion. This was also facilitated by some Russian media that published biased information.

• Russian language in Kyrgyzstan

• GL Muradov, T. Poloskova, KF Zatulin, and others. Reference book of the Russian compatriot // Moscow: Russkiy Mir, 2006. 2nd edition - p. 78-82

• Confession of failed migrants. How Russian immigrants from Kyrgyzstan took in Tver
• Shustov A. The Russian Question in Kyrgyzstan "100.Ru" ( Historical Perspective Foundation )
• Demographic trends, the formation of nations and ethnic relations in Kyrgyzstan Demoscope Weekly
• About the life of Russians in modern Kyrgyzstan BBC
• The problem of emigration of Russians from Kyrgyzstan RIA Novosti
• http://www.segodnia.ru/content/105722 - Russian genocide in Kyrgyzstan