Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday called for a new approach to migration after Tajiks living in Russia were detained for a deadly attack on a concert hall outside Moscow that killed at least 144 people and wounded 551 more.
\nIslamic State, the militant group that once sought control over swathes of Iraq and Syria, claimed responsibility for the mass shooting. Russia has said it suspects Ukraine was linked to the attack, a claim denied by Kyiv and dismissed by Washington.
\nAt least 12 people \u2013 including four accused gunmen \u2013 have been detained in Russia in connection with the attack. Most are Tajiks who had lived and worked in Russia.
\nPutin told police chiefs that the attack was aimed at sowing discord, xenophobia and Islamophobia inside Russia. But he said that migration systems needed improvement, as it was clear that work permits were sometimes being issued to people with serious criminal records.
\n\u201cWe need to deeply and radically update our approaches to migration policy,\u201d Putin said, adding that some people with almost no knowledge of Russian or Russian culture were being allowed to work without proper checks.
\n\u201cThe decisive principle should be that only those who respect our traditions, language, culture, and history can come to live and work in Russia.\u201d
\nRussia\u2019s room for manoeuvre on migration, though, is limited.
\nMillions of people from former Soviet republics in Central Asia have flocked to Russia\u2019s biggest cities over the past few decades, supporting a blossoming 24-hour consumer society by working as taxi drivers, cleaners, barbers or beauticians.
\nWith Russia\u2019s 147 million population forecast to fall over future decades, migrants play an vital role in the economy, also working in heavy industry and farming.
\n\u201cIt is necessary to ensure the interests and security of the state and society, to conserve and preserve interethnic and interreligious harmony, our cultural and linguistic identity, all that is Russia\u2019s strength,\u201d Putin said.
\nAt least 277 languages and dialects are spoken in Russia. About 10% to 15% of Russia\u2019s population are Muslims.
\nTajik officials have said they have seen a rise in Tajiks leaving Russia since the attack, and Russian media have reported police raids against unregistered migrants.
\nA blast ripped through a Central Asian-themed cafe in the southern Russian city of Voronezh in the early hours of Monday, when no one was on the premises.
\n(Reuters)Migration. migration, terrorism, cultural identity<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a new approach to migration after Tajiks living in Russia were detained for a deadly attack on a concert hall outside Moscow. Islamic State claimed responsibility, but Russia suspects Ukraine’s involvement. Putin emphasized the need to update migration policy to ensure only those who respect Russian culture can live and work in the country. Despite limitations, migrants from Central Asia play a vital role in Russia’s economy. Putin stressed the importance of preserving interethnic harmony and cultural identity. Tajiks have been leaving Russia since the attack, with reports of police raids against unregistered migrants.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":6575,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[403,383,1002,1240,1173,3198,2458,4708,303,26,1831,4081,3092,658,1991,1837,3966,3153,1999,296,1531,2952,1259,821,3542,3091,184,864,154,19,827,223,3928,2471,3655,382,17,1357,3519,2756,18],"class_list":["post-6574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-other","tag-asia","tag-attack","tag-checks","tag-clear","tag-concert","tag-concert-hall","tag-connection","tag-cultural-identity","tag-culture","tag-economy","tag-farming","tag-future","tag-gunmen","tag-history","tag-industry","tag-involvement","tag-iraq","tag-islamic-state","tag-islamophobia","tag-kyiv","tag-linguistic-identity","tag-media","tag-migrants","tag-migration","tag-migration-policy","tag-moscow","tag-police","tag-population","tag-putin","tag-russia","tag-security","tag-shooting","tag-suspects","tag-syria","tag-taxi","tag-terrorism","tag-ukraine","tag-vladimir-putin","tag-washington","tag-work-permits","tag-world"],"acf":{"keyphrase":"","keywords":"","sourceimg":"","country-category":""},"yoast_head":"\n