An examination of the political issues surrounding the fate of ethnic Russians who, since the beginning of 1992, have found themselves living in non-Russian nation-states. Case studies on the development of a national identity within the Russian-speaking communities are provided.

This work provides an examination of the political issues surrounding the fate of ethnic Russians who, since the beginning of 1992, have found themselves living in non-Russian nation-states. Analysis focuses on three areas: relations between expatriate Russian-speaking communities and their host populations; the impact of expatriate issues on Russian domestic politics, such as the sensitive issue of the Crimea; and the role of the new Russian diaspora in relations between the states of the former Soviet Union. Detailed case studies are provided of the development of a national identity within the Russian-speaking communities of five Soviet Republics: Estonia, Latvia, Moldova, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.