Half of migrants in Russia place sharia above state laws – Security Council

Minaret with crescent. Photo: RIA Novosti

On June 26, 2025, Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation, Yuriy Kokov, stated that 43.5% of labor migrants residing in Russia place the norms of Sharia above secular law. He made this statement in an interview with Rossiyskaya Gazeta.

The official said the data came from a study conducted by specialized agencies. It was also found that a quarter of respondents (24%) are prepared to take part in protest actions if their religious rights are violated, and more than 15% admit the possibility of participating in illegal political activities.

Kokov warned of an alarming trend: stable “diaspora groups and ethnic enclaves” are forming in the country, whose members do not seek to integrate into Russian society and do not share the historical, cultural, and spiritual values of the people, which have been shaped over centuries on an Orthodox foundation. These groups, he said, oppose their religious and national traditions to the laws of the state and refuse to accept a way of life based on respect for the state, the rule of law, and interethnic harmony.

It is worth noting that after the terrorist attack at Crocus City Hall on March 22, 2024, the authorities tightened migration legislation, increasing controls and restricting access to education for migrant children who do not speak Russian. Measures are being discussed to deport families whose children do not attend school and migrants who have not undergone fingerprinting or are not engaged in work or study.

Earlier, the UOJ reported that in Russia it was stated that in the “special military operation,” Orthodox Christians and Muslims are fighting against the Antichrist.

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