Valery Fadeev, who leads the Council under the President of the Russian Federation for the development of civil society and human rights, has stated that migrant women seeking assistance in Russia should know Russian. He made this point during a press conference at the Rossiya Segodnya news agency, underscoring that language proficiency should be a prerequisite for those asking for support.
Fadeev questioned the value of helping immigrants who do not intend to learn Russian or integrate into Russian society. He emphasized that encouragement should come with clear expectations, and not rely solely on gentle methods to achieve integration. His remarks reflect a broader push to align expectations around language learning with social participation and public life in Russia.
Earlier, President Vladimir Putin directed government agencies to implement measures that assist foreign nationals and their children in adjusting to Russian life. The decree calls for creating practical conditions that enable newcomers to acquire the Russian language and to adopt commonly accepted norms of conduct, all while taking into account the social and cultural characteristics of the regions where they live. This approach aims to support smoother inclusion by recognizing local diversity and the varied needs of communities across the country.
Additionally, last year saw the launch of the “Children are here” program, an initiative designed to teach the Russian language to the children of immigrant families, helping them build language skills that support school integration and everyday life in Russian communities. [Citation: Kremlin press service] [Citation: Russian government communications]