Аңдатпа
Abstract This article analyzes how the cultural strategies of Russia and Turkey influence identity formation among the indigenous Sakha (Yakut) people. These strategies have different effects on how the Sakha represent their culture and how discussions around their cultural rights arise. The Russian approach is grounded in institutional recognition of Sakha cultural specificity, integrating it into a broader national narrative of multinational unity. The Turkish strategy, by contrast, operates primarily at the symbolic level, enhancing Sakha cultural visibility through appeals to shared Turkic origins and transnational kinship. The study demonstrates how “soft power” operates beyond the Western world and how external cultural influences interact with the domestic politics of a multinational state. This article uses a qualitative analysis of digital media content and cultural practices related to the representation of the Sakha people. A comparative approach reveals differences in the cultural strategies of Russia and Turkey. The authors conclude that symbolic competition between states increases the public visibility of Sakha identity but does not lead to greater autonomy or participation in decision-making. At the same time, digital space serves as an important arena for the formation of the Sakha’s own strategy and self-representation. The study demonstrates that analyzing minority rights requires attention to both regional and digital dimensions, and that indigenous peoples should be viewed as active participants in cultural and symbolic processes rather than passive subjects.