The Russian attitude towards the Finno-Ugric minorities becomes increasingly contemptuous. Some Finno-Ugric peoples obtain autonomous districts or republics within the Soviet Union. Borders, however, are not drawn in accordance with ethnic distribution, but are based solely on economic expediency. This leads to ethnic conflict. This period is characterised by large-scale industrialisation and exploitation of oil and gas deposits.
Colonisation becomes even more intensive.
Finno-Ugric intellectuals are repressed. Native language schools which had operated for a short period in the twenties and thirties are closed down. Some of the Finno-Ugric peoples are forced to give up the use of the Latin alphabet and use the Cyrillic. The native populations become rapidly urbanised. Representatives of the three independent Finno-Ugric nations also live in Russia.