Inkēns: Russians' patience is not yet exhausted and famine is not a real threat

Edvīns Inkēns, an observer of political processes, believes that worsening living conditions in Russia do not necessarily mean that public patience will run out any time soon. He made the assessment in a conversation with political scientist Filips Rajevskis on the nra.lv programme “nra.lv sarunas”. Inkēns also sees no grounds to talk about a genuine risk of famine in the country, which matters when judging hopes for possible change in Russia.

No real threat of famine

Comparing the situation in the Soviet Union with that of present-day Russia, Inkēns noted that Russia still has enough money to cover at least basic food needs. In his view, famine does not really exist, because the state can afford to buy rice, for example, and so it does not come to actual hunger. He also argued that poorer living conditions do not yet indicate that public patience has worn thin. “The patience of the Russian people has not yet been exhausted,” he stressed. Rajevskis responded by remarking that Inkēns was a pessimist, and Inkēns agreed.

Tatar aspirations for independence

In the rest of the conversation, Inkēns turned to the independence aspirations of peoples living within Russia. Citing his own contacts, he gave the Tatars as an example, saying they very much want independence. He was nonetheless skeptical that these aspirations could be realised. Inkēns pointed out that the redrawing of territories had cut the Tatars off from a border with Central Asian countries, which makes independence harder to achieve. At present he does not see such a scenario happening, so his overall assessment of the prospects for change in Russia is cautious.