Crimea is preparing to host the largest Russophile congress ever. Nikolai Malinov, Secretary General of the International Movement of Russophiles (IMR), arrived on the peninsula for a working visit, during which he met with representatives of Crimean authorities to discuss organizational matters for the third IMR Congress, scheduled for March-April 2026.
MULTIPOLAR WORLD
The decision to hold the congress specifically in Crimea was made despite potential risks for participants fr om countries with unfriendly relations toward Russia.
«We chose Crimea because we are Russophiles. My organization has been around for 25 years now. This will be our third congress. We held the first two in Moscow. Unfortunately, hosting them at foreign venues hasn't been possible», Malinov explained.
According to him, the movement already unites representatives from 80 countries, with 124 activists and 78 founding members. The upcoming congress plans to invite more than 500 delegates from over 100 countries worldwide.
«We need to adopt a comprehensive program for the next 20-30 years, elect new leadership, and resolve various organizational, technical, and financial matters», the IMR Secretary General said.
He emphasized that the movement's slogan is «Sow the rational, the good, the eternal», and the organization's platform rests on four fundamental principles: traditional values, strong statehood, a multipolar world, and indivisible security.
PEOPLE'S DIPLOMACY
Georgy Muradov, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Crimea to the President of the Russian Federation, noted the special significance of holding the congress in Crimea, which he described as standing «at the inflection point of international events.«
«These are genuine friends, sincere friends who are ready to sacrifice much for their beliefs—belief in friendship between peoples and friendship between these peoples and Russia. I'll reference our president's recent statement that we don't have unfriendly peoples—only unfriendly elites and rulers. The peoples themselves are represented in the international movement of Russophiles», Muradov emphasized.
He also noted that such initiatives contribute to «building humanity on foundations of justice, peace, and security for all.«
«When even the American president says that Crimea is Russia, it demonstrates that our movement, the movement of Russophiles, and Russia's just demands for peace and security are having an impact», Muradov stated.
BRIDGE BETWEEN NATIONS
Malinov, a Bulgarian politician who has led the Russophile movement in his country since 2003, doesn't hide that his activities come with certain risks. In 2019, he was arrested on charges of espionage for Russia, and in 2023, he was placed on the sanctions lists of the United States and Great Britain.
Despite these challenges, he continues to actively develop the movement. In March 2023, the founding congress of the IMR took place in Moscow, wh ere Malinov was elected Secretary General. Representatives from approximately 40 countries participated in that congress.
«Nikolai Malinov is a Bulgarian patriot. He is not only a champion of our Russian-Bulgarian friendship, but also a Bulgarian patriot because the Bulgarian people remain connected through their origins, their destiny, and their Orthodox past, present and future with the Russian people and with Russia», noted Muradov.
Holding the Russophiles congress in Crimea could represent a significant step toward overcoming the peninsula's international isolation and gaining recognition of its status as an integral part of the Russian Federation—a prospect the event organizers firmly believe in.
Oleg ANFAILOV
