Russian Speakers Feel Second-Class in Finland

Latiševa says she believed Finland would become her new home country when she moved here. However, she says she never felt like she belonged. After living in Finland for 18 years, she moved to Barcelona, Spain.

”I cried often. Russians are second-class citizens. You get used to it and start behaving accordingly. For instance, you start apologising for being Russian,” she told YLE’s Morning TV talk show.

Latiševa says she can see how attitudes towards Russians have affected her son.

”My son was raised in Finland and is 100 percent Finnish. He doesn’t even want people to think he is Russian when we are abroad,” she comments.

She adds that living in Finland crushed her self-respect. She was warned that dressing in a certain way would reveal her origin. “I was told to speak English so no one would notice I am Russian.”

Bilingual Citizens Are an Asset

Russian speakers are the second largest language minority after Swedish speakers. Around 50,000 Russian speakers live in Finland and the number is growing.

According to a 2008 study by the Ombudsman for Minorities, Russian youths living in Finland have a multifaceted understanding about their identities. For example, one youth said he felt Finnish when he was with Finnish speakers and Russian when he was with Russian speakers. The Ombudsman says bilingual citizens who can identify with two cultures are a clear benefit to society.

The Ombudsman adds that the group’s language, cultural and professional skills are a significant resource to Finland. Employers in East Finland in particular are aware of the benefits Russian speakers can bring.

Problems on Both Sides

The Russian speakers’ association of Finland "Finljandskaja Assotsiatsija Russkojazychnyh Obshestv" says negative attitudes towards Russian-speaking Finns are common. However, the association’s director Petr Potchinchtchikov says Russian speakers are faced with other problems as well.

For instance, Russian families who move to Finland often fall apart –usually because Russian women who come to Finland end up taking charge.

”Russian men don’t have a position here. It is the women who succeed and become active members of society. They find their place quickly. It’s a tragedy because families who move to Finland often fall apart because of this,” says Potchinchtchikov.

“Russian society is still quite patriarchal. The men earn the money and the women care for the family.”

Potchinchtchikov adds that prejudices towards Russians still exist. ”It’s passed on in families, but the problem has been inflated. If we have to look for problems, we should look elsewhere and on a more concrete level.”

”Organisations like ours should ensure that Russian speakers can integrate better. However, there are problems from both sides,” he comments.

Russian Pride, Not Shame

Latiševa says she wrote her book because she wants people to stop judging others by their country of origin or language. “This is not unique to Finns. The same thing has happened in the Soviet Union, Russia and Spain. I would never have thought about this if I had not been a ‘second-class’ citizen myself.”

”I was just Inna and I wanted to belong. I don’t want my children to be ashamed about not being able to respect their own language and culture,” she says.