Specifics of Russia’s Contemporary Language Policy in the Near Abroad

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of the current state of Russia’s foreign language policy in the near abroad. The authors define Russia’s language policy abroad, identify its internal and external factors, analyze its effectiveness, and determine the specifics and peculiarities of its development in the post-Soviet space and its influence on the quality and effectiveness of integration processes in the Eurasian region. In the context of the analysis of Russian language policy in the near abroad, the authors consider the problems of preservation and promotion of the Russian language in the international space, the main among which are the following: the reduction of the geography of use of the Russian language and changes in its status in the near abroad and far abroad countries. In the concluding part of the article, the authors propose ways and solutions to strengthen the effectiveness of Russia’s language policy in both global and regional dimensions.