Russian nationalism does not exist, so do not be frightened by it, Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev) said.
“Let no one scare us with Russian nationalism. Russian nationalism does not exist in nature, everyone knows this. But to talk about the importance and the role of the Russian people in the preservation of our multinational country – I think this is an important topic that we should address with you too,” Patriarch Kirill said at an extraordinary congress of the World Russian People’s Counci.
According to the clergyman, detractors tried to use domestic problems with the migration situation through the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall to “escalate interethnic relations, including with the help of the radical Islamist factor.”
Gundyaev later addressed migrants in Russia, demanding they “respect Russian culture.”
“Many people consider migration a threat, but the threat is not just migration, but the unwillingness of part of the migrants to respect the culture of the country where they have come to work. In the case of their permanent residence in Russia, I think the legal requirements are knowledge of the language, well, and our traditions, respect for these traditions,” he said.
