Who speaks for Russia's Indigenous peoples?
In mid-July, ArcticToday published a piece by journalist Laurel Colless about an online briefing on the situation of Indigenous peoples in Russia. The event was organized by the NGO Arctida, the Batani Foundation and the Indigenous Institute, and moderated by Dimitry Valuev. Three new research publications were presented. They cover the shrinking space for Indigenous advocacy, criminal cases against activists, Indigenous rights in Arctic development, and the changing role of Indigenous organizations.
A caveat first. Everything below reflects the assessments and conclusions of the briefing's participants, as reported by ArcticToday. We are retelling them, and we have not verified these claims ourselves.
Let's start with the most high-profile story. According to the presenters, pressure on Indigenous activists has grown since 2022: intimidation, criminal cases, pressure on relatives, restrictions on speaking at international venues. One example is Daria Egereva, a human rights defender and climate activist. In November 2025 she represented Russia's Indigenous peoples at the COP30 climate conference in Brazil. In December she was detained in Moscow. She is accused of involvement in the Aborigen Forum, an expert network that the Russian authorities have designated a terrorist organization.
On the same day, it is reported, at least 17 coordinated FSB raids took place across nine regions. Human rights defender Natalia Leongardt was also detained. Both women remain in custody. Their defense lawyer, Olga Podoplelova, called it the largest criminal case ever opened against Indigenous rights defenders in modern Russia.
The second part of the briefing was closer to the ground, to reindeer herders, fishers and hunters. Lana Pylaeva, Arctida's consultant on Indigenous rights, studied six major Arctic projects, among them Yamal LNG, Vostok Oil, the Baimskaya mining project and Port Lavna. Her conclusion: consultations with communities are weak, and the principle of free, prior and informed consent is not truly working in these projects. She also spoke about what the projects could mean for traditional ways of life.
The sharpest topic was representation. Aivana Enminkau presented a report on what its authors call "managed Indigenous representation." They argue that organizations such as RAIPON are becoming, in effect, an extension of the state, expressing the interests of the government more than those of communities. "Representation should be independent," Enminkau said. One participant in the discussion added that some official representatives do not know their native languages and are cut off from their communities.
Asked from the audience why the pressure has become so all-encompassing now, Podoplelova answered with the familiar metaphor of the frog in the pot. The water is heated gradually, and it gets harder and harder to jump out. In her words, this is exactly how the logic of repression develops in any country.
We are not going to judge on behalf of the briefing's participants, and we are not standing in for a court. But the question in the headline deserves to stay in view. Who speaks on international platforms in the name of peoples who number tens of thousands across Russia, and in some cases only a few hundred? Who is chosen by the communities themselves, and who is appointed? The peoples themselves will be the first to answer these questions. It matters to us that their voices are heard, and we will continue to follow the topic.
Sevr Nuu
Free Daria and Natalia!
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