Russians in Turkmenistan

Russians in Turkmenistan are a minority ethnic group, numbering 297,913 as of 2000 census[1] representing 4% of the population. Most ethnic Russians migrated to Turkmenistan during the 20th century. Many settlements were founded in the north of the country. The Russian population reached its peak just before the breakup of the Soviet Union.[2] Most ethnic Russians live in the capital city of Turkmenistan, Ashgabat. Significant populations are found in other major cities. The main religion of Russians in Turkmenistan is Russian Orthodoxy.[3]