Russia’s full-scale war against Ukraine and the accompanying difficult political processes: tightening internal controls, pressure on dissent, and the adoption of increasingly restrictive and human rights-infringing laws, have led to a noticeable increase in public discontent and the activity of various opposition and civic initiatives. This new political climate has also affected representatives of national movements.
Many activists who previously confined themselves to preserving their identity within the confines of family and like-minded individuals are now entering the public sphere: speaking openly about their beliefs, defending historical memory and national interests, and speaking out against persecution for their views and beliefs.
One such activist is Ilsiyar Gainullina, a member of the Tatarstan Independence Committee. She is known for her consistent stance on issues of national identity and the protection of the Tatar people’s rights. We met with her to discuss her motivations, personal experience, and why public activism is important to her today.
Tell us a little about yourself: where are you from, what do you do, and how are you connected to Tatarstan?
I’m originally from Tatarstan and know and understand my fellow countrymen and compatriots well, having lived there until I was 45. I’ve always wanted to call my beloved homeland an independent, autonomous, and self-sufficient country.
Indeed, my beloved Tatarstan would have been just that now if the Republic of Tatarstan’s leaders hadn’t backed down to please the Russian authorities after the Republic of Tatarstan’s sovereignty was declared in 1990. Much to our regret, Tatarstan’s leadership is now losing more and more authority, transferring it to Moscow, with the tacit consent of the population. Our Tatarstan Independence Committee unites Tatars and representatives of other nations who, under such unequal circumstances, accept responsibility for the freedom and independence of the Tatar people from the imperial rule of the Kremlin. Despite being a young organisation, we conduct educational and informational activities while living in various countries around the world.
What does your organisation call what’s happening: a “special operation,” a “war,” or something else—and why? How did your experience or activities lead you to study and discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine?
We call the terrible events unfolding in the centre of Europe, as they are, “war.” Since the first days of this aggressive war, waged by the Russian authorities against Ukraine, I have been providing all my support for the victory of the Ukrainian Armed Forces. Receiving daily news of the destruction of infrastructure and, most horrifyingly, the deaths of Ukrainian civilians, any sane person can and should see the truth about war. I saw and met many ordinary Ukrainians, especially at the very beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, in a state of shock at the horror that suddenly befell them. Now, the entire progressive world and countries are helping Ukraine expel the occupiers as quickly as possible after four years of bloodshed in a major war. But, unfortunately, Russia has its own imperial goals and plans for the conquest of foreign territories. This uncertainty is creating great anxiety and fear in the world.
What events in Tatarstan in recent years have had the greatest impact on your understanding of the republic’s role in these processes? What is your opinion on Tatar society’s reaction to the war?
The events of recent war years clearly demonstrate and provide a comprehensive picture of how the current Tatarstan leadership is jointly implementing Moscow’s imperialist plans. From the very first days to this day, Tatarstan, along with Bashkortostan, has shared the highest death toll in this criminal war. It seems as if the Kremlin has decided to rid itself of the remnants of the indigenous peoples of the Russian Federation who still live on their lands, pursuing its own colonial agenda. Military factories have been built in the Republic of Tatarstan, and its residents are therefore involved in the production of military equipment and drones. The reactions and voices of Tatarstan residents against the war are suppressed by laws against freedom of speech and opinion, and by the arrests of activists for even minor actions on social media and in real life. People are intimidated and do not express their opinions publicly, although with each passing day, they are beginning to understand more and more that this is not our war; Ukrainians are not our enemies. The real enemies are located near Kazan and are our common enemies, who conquered us at different times in history.
How do you assess Russia’s current war against Ukraine—what does it mean for the Tatar people and Tatarstan?
I believe this Russian war has not only caused us the loss of many young and middle-aged people, but also a great danger to the republic itself. Russia’s war against Ukraine has brought war to the Republic of Tatarstan in the form of predictable attacks from Ukraine on military installations in Tatarstan. This is apparently what Moscow was aiming for by deliberately establishing its military industry in Tatarstan. But this is a positive development, as it weakens Moscow’s military capabilities, as all these installations belong to Moscow, and the Tatars are essentially service personnel.
We must also consider the demographic impact of war. A decline in birth rates and a rapid increase in mortality after every war is a historical fact. Such losses and the decline in the size of my people could accelerate the pace of the ethnocide being waged against the Tatar nation by the Kremlin.
Do you believe that Tatarstan’s participation in the war is a manifestation of loyalty to the Kremlin, or forced subordination to a centralised system of power?
In my opinion, Tatarstan’s participation in this war is driven by the Tatarstan authorities’ fear for their own cushy positions of power and their personal financial interests. By supporting the federal authorities in their aggression against Ukraine, they seem to have decided to “appease” them and obtain the desired preferences. But, as you can see, they have failed; imperial goals do not envisage such a thing; quite the opposite is true. Pleasing the Tatarstan authorities to the Russian Empire, and whoever currently leads it, is currently costing the Tatar people dearly. First and foremost, young and middle-aged people are dying, people who could be useful to the Republic of Tatarstan itself. They represent the Tatar gene pool and our future. Throughout the Volga region, Tatarstan and Bashkortostan have led the world in the number of deaths during this war. Parallel to the military goals of destroying Ukraine, other imperial actions are being carried out, such as the extermination of the indigenous peoples of the so-called Russian Federation. Recent financial news reveals a budget deficit in the Republic of Tatarstan, considered one of the country’s strongest economic regions, home to a significant portion of oil production and refining. This suggests that Tatarstan is losing out on all fronts for its residents, devoting resources to the federal government to continue its criminal war against Ukraine.
How do you assess the scale of mobilisation and participation of Tatarstan residents in the fighting? Why, in your opinion, are so many representatives of ethnic republics among the mobilised and contracted soldiers?
As I mentioned above, the true goals and objectives of the Russian authorities are revealed here. By launching a war against sovereign Ukraine, they have also launched a covert war against the country’s indigenous peoples. The war primarily aims to destroy the gene pool of Tatars, Bashkirs, Buryats, Yakuts, Tuvans, Chechens, and many other ethnic groups, but certainly not the Russians of Russia’s major cities, where the ongoing threat is not felt. By shedding the blood of these nationalities, the federal authorities are freeing themselves from the danger of being rejected by the national forces of these peoples.
How do you feel about the sharp reduction in payments for signing contracts in Tatarstan and neighbouring regions? Is this a cost-cutting measure or a deliberate policy?
Such a turn of events was to be expected from both federal and local authorities. After all, what happened to the “contract soldiers” in the first years of the full-scale invasion was meant to be “showy.” It was like bait for citizens who lacked sufficient funds for a normal life. Currently, budgets are being cut and compressed like “shagreen leather,” daily destroying taxpayers’ funds for the production and acquisition of the necessary weapons for war.
Starting in 2025, federal authorities will increase taxes from all constituent entities of the so-called federation. Among other things, the Republic of Tatarstan sends up to 85% of its resources and mineral wealth to the federal government.
How is Tatarstan, as an industrial and petrochemical region, involved in supporting the war? (The role of major Tatarstan enterprises—such as KAMAZ, TANECO, and the Kazan Helicopter Plant—in Russia’s military economy)
Tatarstan is making a significant contribution to the ongoing war with Ukraine. Companies like KamAZ, Taneco, Kazan Helicopters, and the Alabuga Free Economic Zone produce essential components, equipment, and hardware for the Russian army. I believe that without Tatarstan’s oil and manufacturing, this criminal war would be much more difficult to wage. And that’s without taking into account the republic’s human resources…
Do you think Tatarstan can take a more independent position on the issue of war and the distribution of its resources?
In order to take a more independent stance on the issue of participation in and support for the war, political will is first and foremost needed from the Tatarstan leadership.
When, year after year, it submitted to Moscow as if to slaughter, the people were cast as victims of these traitors to their nation. Currently, the federal government’s iron fist is beginning to curtail any freedom of action by Tatarstan’s ruling elites. The President of Tatarstan is now simply Rais (at the level of governors), the Tatar native language has become an appendage to Russian at the republic level and is being destroyed, resources from the subsoil have been plundered, and even Rustam Minnikhanov is under the watchful eye of Moscow’s “all-seeing eye” through the overseer Lapin. The Kremlin’s next move regarding Tatarstan could be replacing the de facto Kazan Governorate and the city of Kazan with the status of a regular federal city… As the saying goes, the time for regaining sovereignty is rapidly passing… And the last chance to regain our independence may be Ukraine’s complete victory over the Russian occupier and the decolonisation of Russia. Then our time for more active action will come.
How do you personally perceive this war, from the point of view of morality, politics, and the future of the enslaved peoples of Russia?
I perceive the war as Russia’s betrayal of Ukraine, the destruction of the innocent Ukrainian nation, to satisfy the chauvinistic and predatory sentiments of those in power in Russia.
This is a military-political crime against not only a neighbouring country, but the systematic destruction and humiliation of humanity as a whole. I believe that the aggressive criminals who started this war will be brought before an international tribunal and held accountable for all the evil they have committed.
Can we say that the war strengthened the Tatars’ desire for political self-awareness and autonomy?
In my observations, the answer is definitely yes. Quite a few intelligent and thoughtful people have begun to consider the paradigms of democratic autonomy for Tatarstan. Our political “elders” and their desire for sovereignty, separation from Russia, and, most importantly, freedom from Moscow’s control, have received powerful reinforcement from the new leaders of the national movement. My colleagues and I are pleased that many people have emerged who are thinking and acting in the interests of the Tatar people, advancing a powerful movement for independence and freedom for our native land from the colonizers. The future of Tatarstan now depends on each of us.
What do you think are the realistic ways in which Tatars can express their disagreement with the war without putting themselves in direct danger?
There’s probably no clear answer to this question. The world has changed, and expressing opinions is punished and suppressed by countless new laws and Russian security forces. I would ask all Tatars who wish to express their opposition to the war to observe safety as much as possible. Each of us is worth our weight in gold, and yet there aren’t many of us. Every conscious person is like a drop in a stream… It’s inspiring that this stream will become a full-flowing river in the coming years, like our mighty Idel (Volga) River, sweeping away all the accumulated evil, opening up new opportunities for freedom and self-expression for the Tatar people. To achieve this mission, we must be proactive, demonstrate our civic position, and remain devoted to our roots and the work of our ancestors. I believe that our roots contain tremendous strength and unity, love, and the inspiration of freedom. We are a peaceful, great people, with an ancient history and an independent future!
Yashesen Azat Tatarstan! (Long live and prosper a free Tatarstan!)
What would you say to the young Tatars who are being called upon today to sign contracts with the Russian army?
Tugannar! Millettashler! Kan kardeshler!
Before you mindlessly continue to move through the crowd of mankurts and authorities who have betrayed the interests of their Tatar people, stop for a moment…
Imagine the Ukrainians who stood up to defend their country, their homeland. They, like you, have parents. They, like you, have wives, children, brothers, sisters, families. They, like you, have homes where they lived peacefully. They, like you, enjoyed life, were saddened by problems, celebrated, and spent time with loved ones. Now this world has been turned upside down for everyone. Think about how your mothers and fathers will lose their sons. Imagine for a moment what will happen to children left without fathers. Make a vital decision now for yourself, for your loved ones, and for your family.
Money won’t solve all your problems; it’s stained with the blood of Ukrainian children, women, and the elderly. Accept that by signing a contract, you’re often signing your own death warrant. Think about who will protect your children, parents, and families here on the ground? Who will need them, and who will even care for them? Or do you still believe and hope that Tatarstan will remain safe and that the authorities will do everything to protect its people? You’re gravely mistaken and deluded, dear ones…
Stay home, continue to care for your families, neighbours, and friends. This is not our war! This is a war for the interests of the Russian authorities, who have enriched themselves using our republic’s resources. Contract money cannot replace your destinies or the freedom we, as the Tatar people, deserve. The future independent, free, and prosperous Tatarstan, your native land, needs you!
Thank you, Ilsiyar Khanim, for the interview and we wish you success in achieving your political goals.
