Tatarstan
“Scratch a Russian and you’ll find a Tatar”. The old saying reminds Putin’s fellow citizens that before the Soviets and even before the Tsar, the population was formed by a union of enemies, including Slavs and Mongols. Indeed, in the 13th century the word Tatar referred to any nomadic people from Asia or with Turkic-speaking roots.
“Scratch a Russian and you’ll find a Tatar”. The old saying reminds Putin’s fellow citizens that before the Soviets and even before the Tsar, the population was formed by a union of enemies, including Slavs and Mongols. Indeed, in the 13th century the word Tatar referred to any nomadic people from Asia or with Turkic-speaking roots.
Tatarstan’s capital, Kazan, is a modern city with a smart centre and colourful mosques alternating with the blue and gold domes of Orthodox churches. The wellbeing of its inhabitants, divided equally among Russians and Tatars, depends on oil. Indeed, the republic produces 30 million tons of crude oil a year, with some estimating its reserves amount to as much as one billion tons. This resource gives the Tatars a bargaining chip Moscow has never been able to ignore.
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