ISSN 0868-4871
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ISSN 0868-4871
Foreign Influence on the Sphere of Interethnic and Religious Relations as a Tool for Destabilizing the Russian Federation in the Conflict with the West States

Foreign Influence on the Sphere of Interethnic and Religious Relations as a Tool for Destabilizing the Russian Federation in the Conflict with the West States

The article was devoted to the study of foreign influence on the sphere of interethnic and religious relations, as one of the main tools of Western states for destabilizing Russia after the start of a special military operation. Author considered theoretical justifications of that tool, also highlighted main stages of the formation of the activities of separatist projects, the main personalities, activities and evolution. He described technologies to incite ethnic and religious enmities, promote radical ideas and use so called “decolonization”, how a citizens of the Russian Federation enrolled in extremist and terrorist activities. Conclusion consists the goals and objectives of external influence in the short and long terms, analyzed the main points declared by the leaders of separatist projects. The article used content analysis of external resources of separatist projects as the main method. Author studied more than 20 000 information messages (publications in Telegram and YouTube channels, foreign media and thematic sites) from February 2022 to October 2024, and systematized result of this data.

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Keywords: foreign influence; separatism; special military operation; interethnic relations; decolonization

DOI Number: 10.55959/MSU0868-4871-12-2025-3-3-60-83

Available in the on-line version with: 04.03.2026

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Number 3, 2025