National identities in former USSR republics (country, places, people, pay)

[BEE2]

Got a question here due to the tension between Russia and Ukrainian/EU/US recently. As we know,
a lot of ethnic Russians lived and worked in other USSR Republics other than Russia during USSR
era. After USSR was dissolved, many ethnic Russians still live and work in those former USSR
Republics such as those central Republics, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Estonia, Ukrainian, etc. I am wondering how those ethnic Russians consider their national identities while living in a country where
the majorities are not Russian anymore. I learned many Russians returned to Russia from those Central
Asian Republics but still lots of ethnic Russians stay and achieve foreign citizenship other than Russian's
passport. I am wondering why those Russians did not go back to Russia where, obviously, has much
better living condition and more opportunities than those Central Asian Republics??? Same questions
for those Ukrainians living in those Central Asian Republics. What made them stay instead moved back
to their original 'motherland'????

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

[streetway]

I can assure you that living standard in Estonia is galaxy far from Russian one.

Thankfully my country did not belong to that Soviet hole but In my oppinion Russians always stay Russians no matter where they live. We have few exemplars here in Czech / Slovakia and they behave like Russians even after a 20 years of living here, they are still aggressive drunkards, they consider themselves Russian. I think those countries with significant Russian minority can expect similar scenario that is happening now in Ukraine.

[BEE2]

Thank you for your reply. But I still feel confused about why so many ethnic Russians stay
in those Central Asian Republics where the living standard is definitely lower than Russia.
What made those ethnic Russians stay and get citizenship other than Russian Federation's?

Thanks,

[Helsingborgaren]

As far as I'm concerned most ethnic Russians considers their national identity as Russian regardlessly of where they live. Usually they don't even bother learning the language, most Russians in Estonia for example can't speak Estonian.

[mrcricket300]

Belarus is pretty much Russia junior. Majority of people there even speak Russian instead of Belorussian language.

[Muscovite]

MagnusPetersson
I guess most Russians, who live in the USA speak English well, especially those younger, who work in IT companies.

As for Estonia and Latvia. Well, the mayor of Riga is Russian and he speaks Latvian very well (and elementary Swedish). The younger people will learn it sooner or later.

BEE2
In fact a lot of my fellow countrymen left Central Asia, especially during the Civil War in Tajikistan. It was a tragedy, barely unnoticed by our European friends.

[BEE2]

Thank you everyone for your reply. No one cannot answer my question yet: why those ethnic Russians stay in those Central Asian Republics and get their citizenship where the living standard is much lower than Russia's?

That is my question.

[Muscovite]

Well,some people might have relatives there via marriage and so on. Besides, they may have real estate there. If they move here they will have to pay for the rent of a flat. Or for a half of a room in a single-room flat.

If you live somewhere and have a flat there, probably it's better for you to stay, not to move.

[BEE2]

But during USSR era, there was no private ownership, wasn't it? Compared citizenship with a flat, which is more important for the future?

[boxus]

Originally Posted by BEE2

Got a question here due to the tension between Russia and Ukrainian/EU/US recently. As we know,
a lot of ethnic Russians lived and worked in other USSR Republics other than Russia during USSR
era. After USSR was dissolved, many ethnic Russians still live and work in those former USSR
Republics such as those central Republics, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Estonia, Ukrainian, etc. I am wondering how those ethnic Russians consider their national identities while living in a country where
the majorities are not Russian anymore. I learned many Russians returned to Russia from those Central
Asian Republics but still lots of ethnic Russians stay and achieve foreign citizenship other than Russian's
passport. I am wondering why those Russians did not go back to Russia where, obviously, has much
better living condition and more opportunities than those Central Asian Republics??? Same questions
for those Ukrainians living in those Central Asian Republics. What made them stay instead moved back
to their original 'motherland'????

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

"I am wondering why those Russians did not go back to Russia where, obviously, has much
better living condition and more opportunities than those Central Asian Republics???"

It is called "roots", many were very established in those places when the USSR fell, many could trace their families being there to tsarist times and at least to the very early Soviet period. When the USSR fell, there was not the realization those countries would become the garbage holes they are today, no one was thinking that the ethnic central Asians would set out to reverse progress set by the USSR. Now days you go to Central Asia, with the exception of parts of Kazakhstan, you will hardly see any Russians, it is very noticeable even the past ten years.

"Same questions for those Ukrainians living in those Central Asian Republics. What made them stay instead moved back to their original 'motherland'????"

Same reason as above.

"I am wondering how those ethnic Russians consider their national identities while living in a country where the majorities are not Russian anymore."

The same way every other nationality does in any country they are in; look at the US for example, numerous ethnic events in many cities, as well as the ethnic tags like "Chinese-American".