Following the collapse of the Soviet Union, groups that previously formed national minorities became new majorities in newly independent states whilst Russians in these states became minorities. With Russians constituting national minorities in all fourteen former republics (excluding Russia), the question of their recognition and rights emerged in a context of nationalizing states. This paper offers an overview of the national minority situation in the fourteen Post-Soviet states over the past quarter of a century. The analysis focuses on three interrelated spheres: (1) the official definition of each state, and the institutionalization of its language and symbols; (2) the official status granted to national minorities as stipulated in the constitutions and other official documents; and (3) access of minority representatives to key political positions and their ability to influence policy that directly concerns national minority rights will provide the practical assessment of Russian national minority political rights in each state.
