Tag: Mari El

Why are Only Some Non-Russian Republics Led by Members of Their Titular Nationalities?

November 3, 2015

Staunton, November 3 – In the final decades of the Soviet Union, many in the non-Russian union republics began to ask why some of them were headed by members of their titular nationalities and others by Russians and increasingly demanded that members of the titular nation occupy key posts. Over time, Moscow backed down, first […]

In Unusual Act of Protest, Entire Village in Middle Volga Refuses to Take Part in Elections

September 1, 2015

Staunton, September 1 – All the residents of the Mari El village of Maly Shaplak have decided to protest the fact that the Russian postal service has not delivered mail to them or to neighboring villages for more than a year by deciding not to take part in the upcoming elections. The authorities are ignoring […]