Russia Is Neither the West Nor the East, But the North
Andrey Golovnev, Director of the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (the Kunstkamera), lectured about Russia’s northernness as a fundamental aspect of its civilization.
“We must move beyond the stereotype of identifying ourselves as either Western or Eastern. We are like a fly who is trying to get through the window, and we’re not happy with this intermediary position. Russia isn’t ‘in between’. It is fundamentally the North. This identity is both practical and authentic. In the West, there are ‘more Western’ peoples, in the East, ‘more Eastern,’ but the North is where we truly belong. We are in our element. Northernness forms the core of Russia’s identity, representing its inherent natural and cultural roots. The term North possesses an inherent beauty; it evokes a sense of home, unity, and inspiration. Whole Russia, from the steppes to the Caucasus, is a northern country. Our center is almost at the Arctic Circle, at the mouth of the Yenisey River. This is not merely a symbol, it is a matter of geography,”
— the scientist noted
The lecture also addressed the need to consider certain historical interpretations, particularly regarding Kievan Rus’.
Essentially, it [Kievan Rus’] is northern — Ladoga, Novgorod, Varangian. Kyiv emerged later as a consequence of the movement from north to south. If we look at the origins, it was the North fundamentally responsible for establishing the geographical expanse, culture, and statehood of Rus’. We are simply used to reading history upside down, he emphasized.
This lecture is part of a series of historical and educational meetings focused on the history of Arctic exploration and the Northern Sea Route. The series aims to illustrate the profound impact that the Arctic and the North have had on Russia’s cultural, economic, and civilizational identity throughout history, as well as contemporary development strategies for Russia’s northern regions.
The Project Office for Arctic Development does not always share the opinions expressed by experts.
For media representatives: we welcome republication of comments provided that an active link to the original source and the columnist’s status as an expert of the Arctic Development Project Office are indicated.
Authors
Оthers Our comments
Alexey Fadeev: A Russian Arctic Perspective on the US National Energy Dominance Council
March 24, 2026 The now-famous slogan «Drill, baby, drill,» which originally emerged in 2008, became a central element of Trump’s energy platform, emphasizing a focus on fossil fuels. The Energy Dominance Council was created as a unified headquarters to radically accelerate resource extraction and exports. It is worth noting that, thanks to a well-executed resource...
read more
Elena Maslova on Italy’s New Arctic Strategy
It would be wrong to think that Italy’s geographical distance from the Arctic and its Mediterranean climate are barriers to its foreign policy thinking and behavior March 10, 2026 The official title of the strategy is: «Italy’s Arctic Policy. Italy and the Arctic: Values of Cooperation in a Rapidly Changing Region.» Three ministries worked on...
read more