Indigenous activists from Russia’s ethnic republics assembled in Berlin last week for their second annual conference, transforming what began as anti-war protests into a coordinated political movement. The Indigenous Vision Forum attracted participants from Russian communities alongside allies from the United States, Europe, Central Asia and Oceania.
Sargylana Kondakova of the Free Yakutia Foundation, who gained attention in 2022 with an anti-war video filmed in Melbourne, co-organized the gathering. She emphasized the urgency behind their international advocacy. “If we won’t speak on the international stage, if we won’t enlist the support of our allies, then everything could end very tragically for our peoples,” Kondakova told attendees.
The movement has achieved notable recognition since 2025. Activists have addressed the United Nations, the OSCE, and secured five of 15 seats on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe’s Platform for Dialogue with Russian Democratic Forces. That’s significant visibility for marginalized communities.
Ukrainian officials see potential in these Indigenous voices. Tetiana Katrych from the Ukrainian NGO Decolonization argued that lasting European security requires fundamental ces within Russia’s structure. Ukrainian MP Mariia Mezentseva-Fedorenko addressed the forum from Kharkiv, where air raid sirens interrupted her speech about codifying “decolonization” concepts in international law.
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