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Russia & Ukraine
- Thread starter UsualName
- Start date
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/putin-rues-soviet-collapse-demise-historical-russia-2021-12-12/
Putin rues Soviet collapse as demise of 'historical Russia'
By Andrew Osborn
and Andrey Ostroukh
December 12, 202111:59 AM CSTUpdated a year ago
Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks during a joint news conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis following their meeting at the Bocharov Ruchei state residence in Sochi, Russia December 8, 2021. Sputnik/Evgeny Odinokov/Kremlin via REUTERS
MOSCOW, Dec 12 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has lamented the collapse of the Soviet Union three decades ago as the demise of what he called "historical Russia" and said the economic crisis that followed was so bad he was forced to moonlight as a taxi driver.
Putin's comments, released by state TV on Sunday, are likely to further fuel speculation about his foreign policy intentions among critics, who accuse him of planning to recreate the Soviet Union and of contemplating an attack on Ukraine, a notion the Kremlin has dismissed as fear-mongering.
"It was a disintegration of historical Russia under the name of the Soviet Union," Putin said of the 1991 breakup, in comments aired on Sunday as part of a documentary film called "Russia. New History", the RIA state news agency reported.
"We turned into a completely different country. And what had been built up over 1,000 years was largely lost," said Putin, saying 25 million Russian people in newly independent countries suddenly found themselves cut off from Russia, part of what he called "a major humanitarian tragedy".
Putin also described for the first time how he was affected personally by the tough economic times that followed the Soviet collapse, when Russia suffered double-digit inflation.
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"Sometimes (I) had to moonlight and drive a taxi. It is unpleasant to talk about this but, unfortunately, this also took place," the president said.
Putin, who served in the Soviet-era KGB, has previously called the collapse of the Soviet Union, which was ruled from Moscow, as the "greatest geopolitical catastrophe" of the 20th century, but his new comments show how he viewed it specifically as a setback for Russian power.
Ukraine was one of 15 Soviet republics and Putin used a lengthy article published on the Kremlin website this year to set out why he believed Russia's southern neighbour and its people were an integral part of Russian history and culture. This view is rejected by Kyiv as a politically motivated and over-simplified version of history.
The West has accused Russia of massing tens of thousands of troops near Ukraine in preparation for a possible attack as soon as January. The Group of Seven wealthy democracies warned Moscow on Sunday of massive consequences and severe costs if it attacked Ukraine. read more
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The Kremlin has said Russia has no plans to launch a fresh attack on Ukraine and that the West appears to have convinced itself of Moscow's aggressive intentions based on what it calls false Western media stories.
Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea region in 2014 and has backed separatists who took control of a swath of eastern Ukraine that same year and who continue to fight Ukrainian government forces.
Sets out to put the Soviet Union back together- ends out breaking up Russia even more.
Sets out to become Peter the Great- ends out becoming Ivan the Terrible.
Sets out to defeat or reduce Nato- ends out increasing its membership while the Russian version of Nato is collapsing.
My name is Vladimir Putin. I is a genius and a military strategist.
Russia’s Counterpart To NATO Is On The Brink Of Collapse
- CSTO once was Moscow’s answer to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
- The CSTO went from 9 members back to only 3 members in 2022.
- Within the alliance, only Belarus and Russia support the war in Ukraine.
It's not bad ego if it was true.
I was born in Soviet union and never subscribed to live in corrupted Nazi Ukraine.
Let's wish Putin luck
And? He is not wrong in saying that the collapse of the USSR could be described as a great humanitarian tragedy, if you haven't lived in the USSR back then, you aren't able to comment on what it was like before compared to the times since the collapse of the USSR. Don't get me wrong, in many ways the system was flawed, but people were united and there was a great feeling of solidarity, friendship and many other wonderful things that bring people together. I have lived in the West for many years now and I can tell you that in the West, there is a sense of a great divide between people, and this divide is also present in Russia and other countries which used to be republics within the union. But, where does he say that he wants to bring back USSR? You are trying to read between the lines.
Imagine if the US was to collapse one day and if for example you were from Texas living in New York for many years, you have a family there, you enjoyed being classed as a New Yorker and all of a sudden, you aren't a New Yorker to others. They tell you if you don't abandon your Texas ways, whatever they may be, you have to get the hell out of New York, on top of that there is now a new government that you and many others like you, haven't elected, as that government took power by force.
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I remember when Ukraine became independent the most prestigious thing was to sell scrap metal.
Everyone did that. There were holes everywhere countless people died falling into holes
House were often without electricity as wires were stolen.
Ukraine inherited huge black sea fleat. Several hundred ships. First president personally controlled scrapping those ships.
Everyone tried to steal whatever they could as first years of independence nobody was sure how long it continues and tried to steal as much as possible.
People above 60 were literally starving as their pensions burnt in inflation flames before they could buy anything.
Criminal was absolutely astounding. Several relatives and friends were killed or severely injured by thugs during those times.
I heard almost every day some was robbed with knife or gun.
Having 10-15 year old western car was considered extreme luxury
In a year 1993 one family friend who lived in Germany came on new Mazda 626. He was considered like sort of god alive. Riding in that car backseat for 30 minutes was probably the best feeling from whole 90s
First 10 years of independence were absolutely dark times. Ukraine probably lost 10 million of people during those years out of 50
Russia was significantly richer during those times and as most had some relatives or friends in Russia it was noticed.
I bet if given chance say in 1997 80%+ would be happy if Ukraine joined Russia
Everyone did that. There were holes everywhere countless people died falling into holes
House were often without electricity as wires were stolen.
Ukraine inherited huge black sea fleat. Several hundred ships. First president personally controlled scrapping those ships.
Everyone tried to steal whatever they could as first years of independence nobody was sure how long it continues and tried to steal as much as possible.
People above 60 were literally starving as their pensions burnt in inflation flames before they could buy anything.
Criminal was absolutely astounding. Several relatives and friends were killed or severely injured by thugs during those times.
I heard almost every day some was robbed with knife or gun.
Having 10-15 year old western car was considered extreme luxury
In a year 1993 one family friend who lived in Germany came on new Mazda 626. He was considered like sort of god alive. Riding in that car backseat for 30 minutes was probably the best feeling from whole 90s
First 10 years of independence were absolutely dark times. Ukraine probably lost 10 million of people during those years out of 50
Russia was significantly richer during those times and as most had some relatives or friends in Russia it was noticed.
I bet if given chance say in 1997 80%+ would be happy if Ukraine joined Russia
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It's true that Russia was the Soviet Union at the point of tank gun, at one time, but before that it was Russia only for a loooooooot longer.
Freedom happened for the former Soviet satellites and they like it. "Ain't no going back". Only forward. Tzar-ry.
Let's take a look Russia's intent in Ukraine as Putin attempts to establish a new Russian empire via force. Here it is in their own words.
Russian Officials Say Winning War Means 'Destruction Of Ukraine' And Kyiv 'Disappears From Political Map'
https://www.ibtimes.com/russian-off...ukraine-kyiv-disappears-political-map-3696907
05/31/23
Let's meet the next person in Russia to be tossed out a fifth story window.
Russian Politician Breaks Ranks And Calls For Putin To Be Replaced Live On State TV
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/russian-politician-breaks-ranks-calls-090246718.html
Russian Politician Breaks Ranks And Calls For Putin To Be Replaced Live On State TV
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/russian-politician-breaks-ranks-calls-090246718.html
Than they went and wasted all their resources on a war in Afghanistan and took decades to recover,like they are doing in Ukraine now. Some people never learn.