Population Must Feel Primarily Russian, Says Putin

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree that establishes a new national state policy strategy for the country through 2036. The document will take effect on January 1, 2025, replacing the previous strategy adopted back in 2012.

A significant addition to the new strategy is the introduction of the term “civilization-state,” which incorporates new ideological approaches to Russia’s identity and development.

The strategy sets several target indicators: by 2036, up to 95% of the population should identify primarily as Russian, and at least three-quarters of citizens should hold a positive perception of the country’s international environment.

The document pays particular attention to countering attempts by “hostile states” to divide Russian society, as well as ensuring information and ideological security. A distinct direction of the strategy is strengthening the status of the Russian language in the Donetsk and Luhansk “people's republics,” as well as in the Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions, alongside the “elimination” of the consequences of anti-Russian propaganda and nationalism in these areas.