MOSCOW — Courting and cultivating loyalty among the Russian youth has long been a part of the Kremlin’s governing strategy. But the latest apparent move to command allegiance from younger Russians may be backfiring.
When young people in former Soviet republics organised “colour revolutions” to push out undemocratic leaders a decade ago, the Kremlin lent support to Nashi, a nationalist, pro-state youth organisation whose ideals thrive in spinoff groups to this day. When the West began protesting Russia’s annexation of Crimea earlier this year, the Russian government introduced a new patriotism curriculum to emphasise the territories’ historic bond.
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Source: Helsinki Times
