“Moscow’s comprehensive goal of reviving the Soviet Union.”
Many believe that the Russian invasion of Ukraine is a clear indication of the revival of the Soviet Union. Back in 2005, in his annual state of the nation address to parliament and the country’s top political leaders, Putin said the Soviet collapse also was a tragedy for Russians. It was the first time Russian leadership had acknowledged that the demise of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe. Just after three years in 2008, Putin publicly said he would reverse the collapse of the Soviet Union if he had a chance to alter modern Russian history. So has Putin finally found a way to change the future of Modern Russia?Â
Poor judgment of Ukraine
Ukraine was the largest of 15 Soviet republics, and Putin says its people are an integral part of Russian history and culture. On the other hand, Ukraine calls this view a politically motivated and over-simplified version of history. Russia captured Ukraine’s Crimea region in 2014 and has backed separatists who control parts of eastern Ukraine and fight Ukrainian government forces.
It is quite true that the Expansion of the Russian concept stopped right after Cold War ended. On the other hand expansion of Western power kept expanding through NATO in the region. The US and NATO believe that countries should be free to join any alliance. Though they offered stability, peace, and security to Ukraine, which dragged Ukraine into the fire, they couldn’t prove their word on the ground. Ukraine had underestimated Putin and poor estimation of dependence on west nukes.
Zelensky had an idea of US nukes as its own, but when the reality was revealed, he had to ask for help from every small and big leader, and no one came to help. Even Zelensky’s request for help from NATO in establishing a no-fly zone over part of Ukraine to protect civilians is again and again rejected by NATO. This shows how poor was Ukrainian president was in the judgment of Trusting West.
Ukraine in Putin’s version of the new Soviet Union
Russia has asked the US and NATO to roll back their Expansion in Eastern Europe, including Ukraine and other former Soviet states from the Baltic to Central Asia. Russia also wants the West to rule out NATO membership for Ukraine and pledge not to deploy forces in Eastern Europe without the Kremlin’s permission. Russia takes NATO expansion to former Soviet Union members as a direct threat to her security and stability. So to reverse the effect, it sees an opportunity to punish Ukraine, and others will be disciplined.
Recently, the Russian Defense Ministry had stated that they had found evidence of US-funded Biolabs in Ukraine, which had urgently destroyed samples of deadly pathogens when the ‘military operation’ started. On Tuesday, the US government’s Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland testified before a Senate Foreign Relation Committee hearing on Ukraine in Washington, DC, and said that the United States was working with Ukraine to prevent invading Russian forces from seizing biological research material. And The US government’s embassy in Ukraine had stated that they fund research programs in Ukraine that work on ‘world’s most dangerous pathogens. It seems that the US strategy of attacking other nations for developing bombs has been reversed to her ally, except this time bomb might be real.
Is the reversal of the Cold War Possible?
As per Putin‘s vision for the future, the Russian language, history, and culture should dominate. He has also talked about his plan for a Eurasian Union linking Russia with other ex-Soviet republics, including those in Central Asia. Putin said in December, “Twenty-five million Russians in newly independent countries suddenly found themselves cut off from Russia; part of it was a major humanitarian tragedy.”
Experts see it as a matter of days when Ukraine will fall, and Russia will gain control over it. The post-war speculations differ mainly in their statements. However, post-war Ukraine will ultimately depend on the Russian behaviour of the country. The effect of the Russian invasion of Ukraine on the former Soviet Union members was visible in UN General Assembly voting against Russia. Most of them either supported Russia or have remained neutral, including countries that depend on Russian energy supplies or defence equipment.
NATO’s deception to Ukraine has hollowed their arm alliance commitments. Even Ukraine was not part of NATO; they still fought alongside western forces in the Middle East. On the other hand, the sanctions imposed on Russia by the USA have crashed share markets worldwide. Also, Iran sees it challenging to reach an agreement in Austria’s capital over new US demands. Over time world can’t hold sanctions on Russia if energy demands are not met.
Another side of the Ukrainian coin
Putin may have also underestimated Ukrainians’ passion for independence and willingness to resist Russian hegemony. Since the beginning of the invasion, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has mastered the act of “David vs Goliath,” skillfully projecting an image of both vulnerability and heroism. Social media platforms are using every opportunity to week Russian narrative of conflict like Twitter removed the tweet of Russian embassy post. They denied Russian involvement in the attack on a Mariupol Hospital. If Washington and Kyiv succeed in turning Ukraine into Russia’s second Afghanistan, Putin’s doctrine could go from macho to sadistic before it turns into an utter disaster for everyone concerned.
The US House of Representatives voted in favour of nearly $14bn (£10.6bn) in aid for Ukraine and voting to ban US imports of Russian oil and other energy products. The measures still must pass through the Senate, which is expected to vote later this week. Meanwhile, US Vice-President Kamala Harris is in Poland a day after Washington rejected the country’s plan to transfer military jets to the US rather than directly to Ukraine. US officials estimated that Ukrainian troops had killed around 5000 to 6000 Russian troops in Ukraine since the war began on 24 February. Ukraine says more than 12,000 Russian service personnel have died, while Russia last week acknowledged 498 fatalities – but none of the competing claims can be verified.
Conclusion
If Iran reaches an agreement in Vienna or Arabian nations answer Biden’s distress calls, the situation will favour the West. The Russian leader may have underestimated the West’s “smart power” and its capacity to cause terrible pain through financial, diplomatic, and other means. The West’s deployment of its formidable corporate arsenal against all spheres of Russian life is genuinely mind-blowing, whether in banking, technology, manufacturing, communication, transport, or even entertainment. Nothing can make up for the senseless loss of life and homes. It is never late to stop fighting as Zelensky has abandoned joining NATO; Putin must make peace with him. It is not rocket science to understand Putin might be more powerful than Zelensky, but he has already lost this war on social platforms. Even Facebook is allowing violence against Russian leadership.
