Putin threatens Latvia with “repurcussions” over policy towards Russian speakers

In other news now Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently threatened lvia with repercussions due to Ria’s policies towards its russian-speaking minority the Baltic country which is a former Soviet Republic is home to hundreds of thousands of Russian speakers who make up a quarter of the population a series of bills approved in

September 2022 aimed to phase out Russian from schools and require a lat lavian language test for some non-citizens to stay in the country the UN has called the laws discriminatory a label that Putin has focused on in his message DW correspondent Jennifer paler reports now in early December Vladimir Putin

Once again rolled out a favorite line of attack the men is posed he says by countries that discriminate against Russian speaking minorities when they continue to treat them like pigs they will experience such filth in return Putin named lvia specifically he said Moscow would adjust relations with

Ria in response to its treatment of russian-speaking minorities on the streets of laia’s capital we didn’t find anyone who’s too bothered by the new language laws or Putin’s threats he’s threatened us for so many years already that I get sick of listening to him I have many people that speak

Russian and they don’t think that someone is treating them badly there won’t be protests there won’t be War but that’s not the full picture many Russian speakers say the new laws are making their lives more difficult Luda so is a Russian citizen living in lvia to remain here permanently she must pass

A basic lavian language test if she doesn’t she will have to leave disappointing doesn’t cover it I have lived here for 48 years 48 yes I didn’t learn lvan like some would say pack your things but where can I go that’s the first thing and secondly why should I move somewhere

Else lvan officials insist the new requirement will not lead to a mass expulsion they say the law aims to better integrate ethnic minorities into lvan society after Decades of russification under Soviet rule criticizing lva is just an excuse to deflect from Russia’s own problems says rard SCH a member of the Latvian

Parliament I think we are treating our minorities with utmost respect and uh as you know equal part of our society no one is lowered I think it’s the gas light thing in some way because uh I would invite actually to put for Putin to look in the mirror and look how

They’re treating minorities in Russia minorities is being used as a cannon meat on a front the front he means of Russia’s war in Ukraine and though Putin’s recent warnings to lvia Echo those he made leading up to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine Latvia’s president Edgar zich says Putin’s

Rhetoric is propaganda and should not be taken too seriously and there’s one clear difference between Ukraine and lvia lvia is part of NATO for now the backing of the AR align seems to be enough of a deterrence and Putin’s conflict with latva remains a battle for hearts and Minds rather than one for

Territorial control

The Baltic country, a former Soviet republic, is home to hundreds of thousands of Russian speakers who make up a quarter of the population. A series of bills approved in September 2022 aim to phase out Russian from schools and require a Latvian language test for some non-citizens to stay in the country.

The UN has called the laws ‘discriminatory,’ a label that Putin has focused on in his message. DW correspondent Jennifer Pahlke reports.

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21 comments

  1. Germany: Invades Czechoslovakia to "protect ethnic Germans"
    Germany: Invades Poland to "protect ethnic Germans"
    Russia: Invades Ukraine to "protect ethnic Russians"
    Russia: Invades Ukraine for the second time to "protect ethnic Russians"
    Russia: "how dare someone dislike us and want mandate their own language in their own country"

  9. Language is representative of the culture of an ethnic group. Current Russian culture is militaristic, expansionist, racist and corrupt. That's why people all over Europe and Central Asia are turning their back on Russia and its language. The Russians only have themselves to blame.
    As for the Russian woman in the broadcast, it begs the questions, why after 48 years does she not speak basic Latvian and why does she hold on to her Russian citizenship and not take out Latvian citizenship?

  14. Putin does not require that Russian is taught in schools? He does not recruit as many people from faraway republics for his war as possible. Putin is a hypocrite. Dual language schools are one thing, but it is quite bizarre that you have been in a country for 48 years and never learned the language of that country.

  19. Being a member of Nato means nothing for putin. It doesn't mean that u re fully protected anytime ur country can be destroyed like ukraine. And the nato won't challenge russia at all.

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