Russian youth

Campaign of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny in Yekaterinburg in September 2017. Navalny had support especially among young Russians.

This article mainly refers to modern Russian youth, not pre-Soviet and/or Soviet Russian youth. For information about pre-Soviet and/or Soviet Russian youth, see History of Russia.

Russian President Vladimir Putin with members of the 'Yunarmiya' – or Young Army. The Young Army movement is the Kremlin's attempt to mobilize and provide basic military skills to Russian youth.

Pussy Riot protest

Gopniks, which are considered to be an example of Russian youth.

Russian youth on a streetcorner.

Russian youth are young Russians, including natives, (e)migrative immigrants, and refugees; definable as being the younger generation relative to their Russian elders. The term "Russian youth" refers to both young native inhabitants of Russia and the young Russian diaspora, although "Russian youth" usually is used chiefly in reference to the former instead of the latter.

Although unique in its own right, modern Russian youth shares many characteristics with other of the world's youth cultures, e.g. counterculture and revolution. Some Russian youth are sympathetic to the traditional ideals of the older generations, while others oppose it, and some Russian youth are apathetic or cynical. The state of modern Russian youth culture has been influenced by several factors, including, but not limited to, the reign of the Soviet Union from 1922 to 1991 and the 2023 Russian invasion. Music is a facet of Russian youth culture, and bands such as Pussy riot are an example of Russian youth culture in Russian music. The music genre "drift phonk" (which stemmed from the phonk genre, which was in turn inspired by Memphis rap) purportedly emerged from Russian youth culture in the early 2010s after being popularized by Russian street drifters on TikTok, a claim that was supported by Rolling Stone magazine in 2021, where it was quoted as being the "Russian version" of phonk music by YouTuber Ryan Celsius.

Characteristics

A defining characteristic of modern Russian youth culture is they are the first post-Soviet Russian generation. As a result of being both the first generation to grow up with access to the internet and also from the largest country in the world, modern present-day extant Russian youth have been (and are) influenced by globalization due to the advent of social media which gives them access to Western music, fashion, and trends, which have had a significant impact on their lifestyles. A source of division between modern young Russians is about their opinion on Vladimir Putin and his authoritarian leadership of Russia, which has resulted in a "Sovietization" of Russia. The source of contention is over whether Russian ideals should change or stay the same. According to Rosalind J. Marsh, the notion of national identity is "highly contested in post-Soviet Russia".

A stereotype about Russian youth is that they commonly drink vodka, but this is a cliched misconception, as young people in Russia tend to drink cheap beer and fizzy alcoholic cocktails, such as alcopop or hard soda, rather than the stronger alcohols like vodka and cognac that are only sold to those over 21.

Some observers noted what they described as a "generational struggle" among Russians over perception of Putin's rule, with younger Russians more likely to be against Putin and his policies and older Russians more likely to accept the narrative presented by state-controlled media in Russia. Putin's approval rating among young Russians was 32% in January 2019, according to the Levada Center. Another poll from the organization placed Putin's support among Russians aged 18–24 at 20% in December 2020. Since 2022, some Russian students and their parents have been investigated by the police, or threatened with expulsion, for refusing to attend the Kremlin-promoted Important Conversations lessons.

History

The roots of current Russian youth culture can be traced back to ancient Russia, but more readily apparent signs of modern Russian youth culture are due to the reactionary influence because of both the Soviet Union's formation and its dissolution,

During the Tsardom of Russia started by Ivan the Terrible in 1547, Russian youths were split by segregation into two classes: the rich upper-class minority with lucrative access to Western culture and education, and the poorer oppressed lower class majority population. The former had frequently aimed to overthrow the Tsarist regime, while the former largely for the most part submitted to the rule of the law under the monarchy, whether it be out of apathy or loyalty. This, in combination with the Russian Revolution, can be inferred to be what set the foundation for the formation of modern-day Russian youth culture. The radical elites who rebelled against the regime were usually killed, exiled, or suppressed by the Bolsheviks who saw them as their enemies, but some of them managed to escape to other countries, where they formed part of the White émigré community. Others tried to adapt to the new Soviet system but had faced similar discrimination and persecution. A few of them joined the Bolsheviks but had to renounce their previous views and affiliations. Conversely, the oppressed common masses suffered a similar fate. A few of them became part of the new Soviet elite but had to conform to the party line and ideology. This type of sociopolitical divide is mirrored today in modern Russian youth culture with the opposition between Золотая молодёжь ("Golden Youth") upper class and the гопников ("Gopnik") lower class.

The post-Soviet period starting in the early 1990s following the Russian Revolution wherein Russia transitioned from Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic to the Russian Federation is when Russian youth experienced a period of chaos and uncertainty, as they faced economic hardship, social instability, cultural shock, and identity crisis. Many young people emigrated to other countries or regions, while others joined criminal gangs or extremist groups.