Why is it in the news?

• Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, recently hosted the 16th BRICS summit, attended by key global leaders such as Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chinese President Xi Jinping, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, and host President Vladimir Putin.
• As one of Russia’s largest and wealthiest cities, Kazan thrives on its petrochemical and military industries, as well as its growing IT sector. Recognized as Russia’s third capital in 2009, the city symbolizes the nation’s future, reflecting key demographic changes reshaping Russia’s identity.

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• Russia, home to the predominantly Orthodox Christian, Russian-speaking Slavic ethnic majority, spans both Europe and Asia, making it a transcontinental and multicultural giant.
• Despite having 193 ethnic groups and 21 national republics, Russia has historically marginalized its ethnic minorities. However, the proportion of ethnic Russians is shrinking due to lower birth rates (1.3 children per woman) compared to Muslim ethnic groups (2.3 children per woman).
• This trend is expected to significantly increase the share of the Muslim population, which currently stands at 10%. Declining birth rates and increased migration will further diversify Russia’s ethnic and religious makeup.
• Kazan, located 900 km east of Moscow, is central to this demographic shift. With a population of 1.2 million, it serves as the capital of Tatarstan, home to the Tatars—Russia’s second-largest ethnic group.
• Predominantly Muslim and of Turkic origin, the Tatars possess their own language and distinct culture. Kazan’s population is almost equally divided between ethnic Russians (48.6%) and Tatars (47.6%), making the city a microcosm of Russia’s emerging blend of European and Asian identities.
• This fusion is symbolized by iconic landmarks like the Kul Sharif Mosque and the Annunciation Cathedral. The mosque, destroyed by Ivan the Terrible during the Siege of Kazan in 1552, was rebuilt in 2005 with assistance from Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
• President Putin has taken a balanced approach to Russia’s ethnic diversity, promoting a sense of national pride that centres on Russia’s greatness rather than ethnic Russian dominance.
• However, his policies have not always favoured ethnic minorities, with notable examples being the persecution of Crimean Tatars after Crimea’s annexation in 2014 and the reduction of Tatarstan’s political autonomy in 2021.
• Hosting the BRICS summit in Kazan is viewed as a conciliatory gesture to mitigate tensions with Tatarstan.
• Ahead of the summit, Moscow and Tatarstan invested over 8 billion rubles ($80 million) in city renovation projects, emphasizing the importance of this major international event.
• Kazan’s selection as the summit’s host underscores its growing significance in Russia’s political and cultural landscape.