Antisemitism in Russia

[4] The collapse of the USSR and the economic crisis that followed, the massive impoverishment of large sections of the population, the rapid enrichment of a small group of people and the criticism of the previously dominant ideology contributed to widespread antisemitic sentiment in Russia.

The number of antisemitic incidents rose sharply after the 1998 Russian financial crisis, the devaluation of the ruble and the ensuing economic hardships affecting a broad segment of the general population.

[6] Other high-profile figures have included deputies of the State Duma from the Communist Party of the Russian Federation, such as Albert Makashov and Viktor Ilyukhin.

In late December 1998, Gennady Zyuganov, leader of the Russian Communist Party, was under pressure to publicly censure the bigoted statements of his comrades and did indeed denounce antisemitism, but at the same time labeled Zionism "a blood relative of fascism".

One of the founders of Russian neo-paganism, the former Soviet dissident Alexey Dobrovolsky (pagan name – Dobroslav) shared the ideas of neo-Nazism and transferred them to his neopagan teaching.

Antisemitic slogans and rhetoric in public demonstrations are frequently reported, most of them attributed to nationalist parties and political groups such as "Rusoslav Orthodox".

[1] In 2001, 98 United States Senators penned a letter to President Putin, expressing concern about popular antisemitism, radical extremists (such as former Klansman and Grand Wizard David Duke) in the Russian Federation.

[11] In January 2005, a group of twenty members of the Duma published a statement accusing Jews of being anti-Christian, inhumane, committing ritual murder and that "the entire democratic world today is under the financial and political control of international Jewry".

[12] For example, at the 23 February 2006 rally celebrating the Soviet Defenders of the Fatherland Day, a yearly tribute to war veterans, according to the newspaper Kommersant, marchers flourished signs with messages including "Zhyds!

[17][18] Due to the Israel–Hamas war in October 2023, antisemitic demonstrations and attacks against Jewish institutions sharply increased in the North Caucasus region.