Ethnic mobilization in Siberia and the Russian Far East (late 1980s – early 1990s): strategies and outcomes

The article examines ethnopolitical processes in the autonomous republics, oblasts, and okrugs of Siberia and the Far East during the perestroika period. The author analyzes strategies of ethnic mobilization, features of the legal status of autonomies within the USSR, as well as key events associated with the movement for sovereignty and the elevation of the political and legal status of the region's national territories. The author concludes that during this pivotal period for the USSR, ethnic mobilization in Siberia and the Far East was predominantly peaceful, with the exception of the Tuva ASSR, where interethnic tensions led to open clashes between Tuvans and Russians. The non-aggressive ethnic mobilization of the region's indigenous peoples relied on three main strategies: negative consolidation through the highlighting of unjust political decisions and tragic historical events; positive consolidation based on the revival of ethnic traditions and culture; and political sovereignization aimed at elevating the state status of autonomies and securing special economic and ethno-cultural rights.