Secession in Russia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Secession in Russia is about different groups and regions in Russia that want to separate and become independent countries, or at least have more control over their own areas. It's like a part of a team wanting to form its own team.

These movements often happen because people in certain regions have different cultures, languages, or histories from the main Russian population. They might feel that their unique identity is not fully recognized or that their region's needs are not met by the central government.

Summary of Movements
Asian Russia
European Russia
Maps
Related pages
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Summary of Movements

This table lists some of the areas and groups that have movements wanting more independence or to separate from Russia. The population numbers are just for your information.

Number	Land	Capital	Area	Population	Ethnic Group	Main Political Party
All of Asian Russia
1	Siberian Republic	Novosibirsk	13,100,000	40,000,000	Sibiryak people	Siberian regionalism
Far Eastern Federal District of Asian Russia
2	Sakha Republic	Yakutsk	3,083,523	1,000,000	Yakut people	Sakha-Amuk
3	Far Eastern Republic	Chita	1,900,000	3,000,000	Nanai people	Alliance of the Pacific Peoples
4	Chukotka	Anadyr	737,700	50,000	Chukchi people
5	Buryatia	Ulan-Ude	351,300	1,000,000	Buryat people	All-Buryat Association
6	Koryakia	Palana	292,600	15,000	Koryak people
7	Evenia	Evensk	102,000	3,000	Even people
8	Jewishia (Yevrey)	Birobidzhan	36,000	150,000	Jewish people
9	Nanaia	Troitskoye	27,644	15,000	Nanai people	Nanai People's Platform
Siberian Federal District of Asian Russia
10	Taymyria	Dudinka	879,929	40,000	Dolgan people
11	Evenkia	Tura	763,197	20,000	Evenk people
12	Tuva	Kyzyl	170,500	300,000	Tuvan people	People's Party of Sovereign Tuva
13	Selkupia	Krasnoselkup	106,270	6,000	Selkup people
14	Altai Republic	Gorno-Altaysk	92,600	220,000	Altai people	Altai-Sayun United Movement
15	Khakassia	Abakan	61,900	550,000	Khakas people
16	Shoria	Tashtagol	25,000	15,000	Shor people
17	Ust-Orda Buryatia	Ust-Ordynsky	22,138	150,000	Buryat people	All-Buryat Association
18	Agin Buryatia	Aginskoye	19,600	80,000	Buryat people	All-Buryat Association
Ural Federal District of Asian Russia
19	Yamalia	Salekhard	750,300	500,000	Nenets people	Yamal for Future Generations
20	Khanty-Mansiysk (Yugra)	Khanty-Mansiysk	534,800	1,500,000	Finno-Ugric people	Association to Save Yurga
Ural Federal District of European Russia
21	Ural Republic	Yekaterinburg	194,800	4,300,000	Russian people	Ural Democratic Foundation
Volga Federal District of European Russia
22	Idel-Ural	Kazan	321,400	11,000,000	Volga people	Free Idel-Ural
23	Bashkortostan	Ufa	143,600	4,050,000	Bashkir people	The Heavenly Wolf
24	Tatarstan	Kazan	68,000	4,000,000	Tatar people	All-Tatar Public Center
25	Udmurtia	Izhevsk	42,100	1,500,000	Udmurt people	Udmurt Republican National Party
26	Mordovia	Saransk	26,200	800,000	Mordvin people	Democracy and Independence Mordvin Front
27	Mari El	Yoshkar-Ola	23,200	700,000	Mari people	Mari Ushem
28	Chuvashia	Cheboksary	18,300	1,250,000	Chuvash people	Chuvash National Movement
Northwestern Federal District of European Russia
29	Komi Republic	Syktyvkar	415,900	850,000	Komi people	Komi People's Congress
30	Nenetsia	Naryan-Mar	176,700	45,000	Nenets people	Nenet National Movement
31	Karelia	Petrozavodsk	172,400	600,000	Karelian people
32	Kaliningrad	Kaliningrad	84,500	1,800,000	Russian people
33	Permyakia	Kudymkar	32,770	120,000	Komi people	Komi People's Congress
34	Leningrad	Leningrad	15,100	1,000,000	Ingrian people	Free Ingria
Southern Federal District of European Russia
35	Don Republic	Rostov	100,800	4,200,000	Donian people	Free Cossack Movement (Rostov Oblast)
36	Kuban	Krasnodar	76,000	5,300,000	Kubanian people	Free Cossack Movement (Krasnodar Krai)
37	Kalmykia	Elista	76,000	300,000	Kalmyk people
North Caucasian Federal District of European Russia
38	Circassia	Sochi	50,000	1,000,000	Circassian people	Circassian nationalism
39	Chechnya	Grozny	17,300	1,500,000	Chechen people	Chechen Republic of Ichkeria
40	Lezgistan	Derbent	10,000	800,000	Lezgin people	Lezgin nationalism
41	Karachay-Balkaria	Karachayevsk	10,000	300,000	Turkic people	Balkar and Karachay nationalism
42	Ingushetia	Magas	3,000	500,000	Ingush people	Ingush People Council
43	Rutulstan	Rutul	2,170	20,000	Rutul people	Rutul National Revival Front
44	Abazinia	Adlersky	2,000	50,000	Abkhaz people	World Congress of Abkhaz-Abazin people
45	Lakistan	Kumukh	1,500	200,000	Lak people	Lak National Council
46	Tabasaranstan	Khuchni	1,400	75,000	Tabasaran people	Tabasaran National Movement
47	Avaria	Khunzakh	Unknown	850,000	Avar people	Avar National Union
48	Darginstan	Levashi	Unknown	500,000	Dargin people	Free Society of Dargo
49	Kumykia	Tarki	Unknown	500,000	Kumyk people	Tenglik
50	Nogaia	Erken	Unknown	100,000	Nogai people	Association of Nogais of Dagestan
51	Aghulistan	Aguldere	Unknown	25,000	Aghul people	Agul Gelinbatan
Total	Secession in Russia		15,000,000	80,000,000	Ethnic Groups	Secession in Russia
Total	Russia	Moscow	17,100,000	150,000,000	Russian people	Russian nationalism

Asian Russia

Tatarstan, a region with a strong desire for more self-rule.

A protest in Kaliningrad Oblast, a region in European Russia.

Map of Ingria/Leningrad Oblast, an area with groups seeking greater independence.

Many parts of Asian Russia have groups that want more control over their own areas or even full independence. These regions are often home to different indigenous groups with their own unique cultures and languages.

Siberian Republic

The idea of a Siberian Republic is one of the largest movements. It aims to create an independent state in Siberia, a huge region known for its vast lands and resources. People who support this idea are sometimes called Siberian regionalists. They believe Siberia should have more power to manage its own affairs.

Far Eastern Federal District

The Far Eastern Federal District is another area with several movements.

The Sakha Republic (also known as Yakutia) is home to the Yakut people. They have groups like Sakha-Amuk that support more self-rule.
The Far Eastern Republic was a real country for a short time in the early 1900s. Today, some groups want to bring back a similar independent state in the Far East.
In Chukotka, the Chukchi people have movements like the Chukchi National Revival Movement that want more independence.
Buryatia is where the Buryat people live. They have organizations like the All-Buryat Association that work for their cultural and political rights.

Siberian Federal District

This district also has several groups seeking more autonomy:

Tuva is a region where the Tuvan people have political parties like the People's Party of Sovereign Tuva, which aims for greater self-governance.
The Altai Republic is home to the Altai people, who have movements like the Altai-Sayun United Movement working for their interests.
Other areas like Evenkia (for the Evenk people) and Khakassia (for the Khakas) also have groups that want more control over their lands and cultures.

Ural Federal District (Asian Part)

In the Asian part of the Ural Federal District, groups like the Nenets people in Yamalia and the Khanty people and Mansi people in Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug are working to protect their traditional ways of life and gain more say in their regions.

European Russia

A map showing areas with movements for more self-rule in the North Caucasus.

A map of the Greater Sochi area, which includes parts of what some groups call Abazinia.

Many regions in European Russia also have groups that want more independence or greater self-rule. These movements are often linked to the unique ethnic groups and historical events in these areas.

Ural Federal District (European Part)

The Ural Republic is a proposed state in the Sverdlovsk Oblast. Some people in this area, mostly Russian people, want more local control and a stronger regional government.

Volga Federal District

The Volga Federal District is a diverse area with many different ethnic groups.

The Idel-Ural movement aims to unite several groups in the Volga region, including Bashkirs, Tatars, and Udmurts, into a single independent state. The Free Idel-Ural group is a key supporter of this idea.
Tatarstan is a republic where the Tatar people have a strong sense of identity. Groups like the All-Tatar Public Center work to promote Tatar culture and political rights.
Bashkortostan, home to the Bashkir people, also has movements like The Heavenly Wolf that seek more autonomy.
Other republics in this district, such as Udmurtia, Mordovia, Mari El, and Chuvashia, have their own groups working for the rights and self-determination of their respective ethnic groups.

Northwestern Federal District

In the Nenetsia region, the Nenets people have movements like the Nenet National Movement that advocate for their cultural survival and political rights.
The Komi Republic is home to the Komi people, who have organizations like the Komi People's Congress working for their interests.
Karelia has groups that want more independence for the Karelian people, or even to unite with Finland due to historical and cultural ties.
Kaliningrad is a unique part of Russia, separated from the main country. Some people there want more autonomy or a special status for the region.
In Leningrad Oblast, some groups, like Free Ingria, advocate for the independence of a historical region called Ingria, which is home to Ingrian people.

Southern Federal District

The Don Republic and Kuban are regions historically associated with the Donian people and Kubanian people. Some groups in these areas want to revive the idea of independent Cossack states or have more regional control.
Kalmykia is the only Buddhist-majority region in Europe, home to the Kalmyk people. They have movements that seek to protect their unique culture and ensure their self-governance.

North Caucasian Federal District

The North Caucasian Federal District is known for its many different ethnic groups and a history of conflicts.

Chechnya has a long history of seeking independence, with groups like the Chechen Republic of Ichkeria advocating for a separate Chechen state.
Circassia is a historical region where the Circassians live. Many Circassian groups work to promote their culture and seek greater unity and self-determination for their people across different regions.
Other regions in the North Caucasus, such as Lezgistan (for the Lezgins), Karachay-Balkaria (for Balkars and Karachays), Ingushetia (for the Ingush people), and various smaller areas in Dagestan like Aghulistan, Avaria, Darginstan, Kumykia, Lakistan, Nogaia, Rutulstan, and Tabasaranstan, all have their own ethnic groups with movements seeking more autonomy or independence. These groups often want to protect their unique languages, traditions, and ways of life.

Maps

Возможный вариант распада РФ
A map showing Russia without its autonomous regions and republics.
A map showing republics declared in Russia during the 1990s.
A map showing existing national autonomous areas and proposed ones, along with where minority groups live in Russia.