Daily Journal:

This is an attempt with inadequate means. Of course, stabilization of the North Caucasus is necessary, a lot of things need and can be done for this. In my opinion, first of all we need to talk about specifically Caucasian forces, of which there are many there. It will not be possible to take them anywhere, and if they are taken out, it will only get worse, because the same thing will spread throughout Russia. Do we need this? We already talk about the Chechenization of Russia. This will be the export of certain technologies, which we do not like and which they are trying to fight. The same thing happened when the Yamadayevites tried and did restore order in St. Petersburg. This is what seems wrong to us and what we want to get rid of in the Caucasus. However, I think that this will not happen, because there are forces operating there that want to act specifically in the Caucasus, they are interested in their land, they are connected with it much more than many of us. And it will not be possible to dilute them with the Russian population. The Russian population will go there only if it is really done by force. These could be military personnel, but I do not know military personnel who would go to the Caucasus with the intention of staying there to live. Most don’t even take their families there with them. They serve as long as they are supposed to, sometimes even for many years, considering themselves seconded, and then return safely from there. There is another category of people who go there - tramps, very often alcoholics, who have lost everything and adapt there, taking advantage of the humanity of the Caucasian population. They stay somewhere, with some sheep, from time to time getting hold of some bottle. Many times they tried to pass them off as slaves. And for a large part of the Russian population to go there - firstly, it is dangerous. People now feel threatened by the Caucasus and are therefore unlikely to travel. And secondly, there is no work there. So I have absolutely no idea how all this can be accomplished. And this is against the backdrop of the fact that we constantly repeat the same formula, which young people have already internalized as if it were the ultimate truth - “Everyone should live at home.” “Moscow for Muscovites”, “Russians should live in Russia, and Caucasians at home.” Our police say to the same Chechens and Ingush: “Why did you come here?” And suddenly we change all the guidelines. I think this is a completely bad idea. And I think that absolutely nothing can be done now that would force people to go there voluntarily. Now the attitude towards the Caucasus is such that when our youth go to conduct seminars there, they hide from their relatives that they are going to Chechnya or Ingushetia.