A Reddit post has sparked an intense debate on social media, after a British user alleged that Russia’s internal online discourse about India is steeped in “degrading and ugly” racism, contradicting warm India – Russia “brotherhood.”
A Reddit post has sparked an intense debate on social media, after a British user alleged that Russia’s internal online discourse about India is steeped in “degrading and ugly” racism, contradicting the popular belief in a warm India – Russia “brotherhood.” The user, claiming to have previously spent months living in India as a teenager, said he/she was disturbed by what he/she uncovered while learning Russian and browsing comments across YouTube, Telegram, and other platforms. “When they speak English, they keep up this polite diplomatic image. But I’ve been reading their internal discussions for months and the racism is off the charts. It is not just a few bad apples. It is degrading and ugly,” the user wrote in the now-viral Reddit post.
The user further wrote that many Russian users casually speak about Indians as though they are “subhuman,” adding that he/she struggled to find any positive comments. The user further warned that such views remain hidden from Indians because of the language barrier.
The Redditor even urged readers to search specific Russian terms — Индия (India), Индийцы (Indians), Жизнь в Индии (Life in India) — on YouTube or Twitter. He said the translations of comments beneath Russian videos reveal a barrage of mockery, contempt, and racist comparisons.
These Russian videos allegedly carry deep demeaning titles such as “India: The most horrifying, dangerous, and dirty city in the country,” “I’ve developed a new phobia – India,” and “India: Surviving in hellish garbage slums.”
The post has triggered intense discussions online, with many questioning the authenticity of the India–Russia people-to-people sentiment.
