Independent University Newspaper
Copenhagen Business School

Popular searches:

Independent University Newspaper

Copenhagen Business School

Felikss has Russian roots: “I stopped talking to my parents about politics when I was 16 years old”

Portrait of man

"I really hope the war will end soon, and that Russia will one day be a country with access to free media and a place where people aren’t afraid of what might happen if they speak their minds," says Felikss with Russian roots. (Photo by Ida Eriksen)

CBS WIRE has interviewed Felikss, a part-Russian student at CBS. Hear his views on having Russian roots at this moment in history and how horrified he is about the war in Ukraine right now.

News |   10. Mar 2022

Ida Eriksen

Journalist

Felikss was born in Latvia and raised by his Russian parents. At the age of 18, he moved from Latvia to Copenhagen to study International Business at CBS.

And although he misses his family, particularly his mother’s cooking and trick of making laundry magically disappear, on some subjects, he and his parents have never seen eye to eye.

“I haven’t talked to my parents about politics since I was 16 years old. We found out early on that we just don’t see eye to eye on a lot of subjects. My parents are shaped by a part of the Russian culture that is very different from my own beliefs and youth in Latvia,” he says.

According to Felikss, older Russians have been influenced by propaganda from the Russian regime and having no access to free media.

“Russians born between 1930 and 1980 did not have the opportunity to communicate with the world outside the USSR, as Stalin and his fellow dictators blocked the population from open contact with Western countries. The only sources of information were radio and TV, making it easier to spread propaganda,” he says.

I really hope the war will end soon, and that Russia will one day be a country with access to free media and a place where people aren’t afraid of what might happen if they speak their minds

Stories of ‘the evil Western countries and the importance of a Soviet global superpower were then passed down from generation to generation, he elaborates.

“They have been told by their parents and grandparents that the world works in a certain way and when you hear those stories repeatedly, they tend to stick and shape your sense of reality. So, the older Russian population truly believes the lies Vladimir Putin spreads,” Felikss explains.

The discourse that exists among some Russians that Putin is in the right, and that the USA is only intent on destroying Russia, is not one that Felikss accepts.

“I’m horrified about what is happening in Ukraine now and can’t fathom what Putin hopes to gain from these crimes,” he says.

Russians are being discriminated against online

Felikss’ friends are frequently asking for his views on the war and the Russian government’s actions. Yet no one has approached him with anger or discrimination.

“I’m okay, actually, and have not experienced anything uncomfortable. I have not faced any hostility because of my Russian heritage,” Felikss says.

Even though Felikss has experienced no discrimination on account of being part Russian, he has friends who have received verbal abuse for their connection to Russia.

Some of my friends from Latvia and Russia are being met with a lot of swearwords but I have not faced any hostility because of my Russian heritage

“Some of my friends from Latvia and Russia are being met with a lot of swearwords and assumptions about how they feel about the war in Ukraine. Unpleasant comments about Russians being stupid and worth nothing are also rife on Reddit and other social media channels,” Felikss explains.

Different generations have different opinions

It is important that we do not generalize about the entire Russian population, and instead remember that many Russians are against the war in Ukraine, he says.

“We should bear in mind that Russians born after 1990 have had much freer access to information about the world without restrictions than older members of the population. We are also seeing many Russians demonstrating against the war, risking jail time or their lives,” Felikss points out.

This Sunday The Guardian reported that 4,300 Russians were arrested for demonstrating against the war in Ukraine.

“Putin is known for his wild sanctions against anyone daring to defy him. Just recently, a 16-year-old boy playing the video game Minecraft was planning to blow up an FSB building. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison. The military court said he was training for a terrorist attack, but really, he was just playing video games,” Felikss says and concludes:

“I really hope the war will end soon, and that Russia will one day be a country with access to free media and a place where people aren’t afraid of what might happen if they speak their minds.”

Portrait of man

CBS student Felikss. (Photo by Ida Eriksen)

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Felikss has Russian roots: “I stopped talking to my parents about politics when I was 16 years old”by

  • Blog

    Uncertain times: Essential for business schools to understand their market

    The alliance of European business schools met at CBS in June to enhance recruitment strategies, stay informed on industry trends, and analyse where the global economy is heading. The CBS MBA Programmes shares some key take-aways from Associate Dean and Professor Jesper Rangvid’s presentation.

  • News

    Working hard all summer: Bachelor Admissions

    The employees in charge of bachelor admissions at CBS are a small exclusive team. They ensure the validity of diplomas and the fulfilment of entry requirements for bachelor’s degrees at CBS – and, not least, that the applicants get the necessary help to upload the right documentation and find their way around the application procedures.

  • News

    Union reps want transparency about redundancy packages

    The unions are hoping for a fair process – and the AC club is calling for transparency about redundancy packages. Academic union representatives expect that actual dismissals can be avoided among faculty members, whereas administrative staff are expecting layoffs.

  • Gif of the week
  • News

    Snapshots: CBS staff busy preparing for a new semester

    For the staff at CBS, the weeks and sometimes even months leading up to study start are spent busily preparing for new and returning students and a brand-new semester.

  • Guide

    Those odd little words

    Some words of advice from CBS WIRE’s proofreader Helen Dyrbye, a British expat who has lived in Denmark for decades. Here she explains a few tiny words that can occasionally spell BIG trouble.

  • News

    Community is key for study start 2023

    This year, showing both new and returning students the concept of ‘community’ at CBS is a top priority. There is room for everyone, and you can find others that share the same interests as you. Those are the key messages from the Student Communications team. This is highlighted by two campaigns, during the introduction week and at the Bachelor Kick Off.

  • News

    CBS at Copenhagen Pride – in photos

    2023 is the first year for the new organisation Colorful CBS to organise the participation in Copenhagen Pride Parade.

Follow CBS students studying abroad

CBS WIRE collaborates with Videnskab.dk

Stay connected

Close