• Perhaps also read https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russification then, which is linked on that page. It explains how the Soviets:

    • Forced other languages to use cyrillic if they didn’t before, aligning the spelling of words with Russian
    • Made Russian a mandatory subject in schools
    • In mostly urban areas made sure education was primarily provided in Russian
    • Made indigenous people learn Russian, but Russian immigrants to those areas did not learn the indigenous language there

    These were all policies aimed at “unifying” the various cultures in the Soviet Union and strengthening control.

    Early Soviet Union is as you described, promoting various cultures and languages. Lenin saw that as a way to gain favour with the local populations. Later leaders however went down a different path.