Indigenous people of Russia: Challenges and hopes of antiwar activism

How do Indigenous people of Russia respond to the war in Ukraine and the tightening of repressions at home?

In this episode, Evgeniya Pakhomova, a social anthropologist specialising in Russian antiwar activism, interviews Lana Pylaeva, an indigenous activist from the republic of Komi and director of regional media Komi.Daily. 

Evgeniya presents the context for the new wave of Indigenous activism that emerged in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, while Lana talks about her own activist experience, the international work she does as the newly elected representative of the Russian democratic forces at PACE, and the struggles of antiwar activism today.

We conclude on a hopeful note, with Lana reflecting on how, despite the numerous challenges, Indigenous activists have managed to create a space for conversation and solidarity.