Russian Roots, Mongolian Life - RT Documentary

‘I was born in Mongolia. I consider myself Russian.’ Vladimir Kuzmin is a descendent of the old believers, who escaped from the Soviet government to Mongolia. His grandparents were little children when his parents brought them to Ulaanbaatar. The Russian community has grown since. The USSR sent its specialists there to teach people how to build cities and establish agriculture in the 70s. Vladimir recalls that life in Mongolia back then was no different than life in the Soviet Union. But everything changed in the 90s. Mongolia started to see its neighbor as an enemy. Local youths participated in rallies. They began to reject Russian help and language. Today, only those over forty remember the powerful influence of the USSR on Mongolian life, with many locals receiving a Soviet education. Recently it has again become prestigious for children to be taught Russian. Learn more in our premiere, ‘Russian Roots, Mongolian Life’.