{"id":5223,"date":"2024-02-19T09:30:52","date_gmt":"2024-02-19T09:30:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pan.thatscommunication.de\/legacy-of-the-soviet-union\/"},"modified":"2026-10-13T08:24:42","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:24:42","slug":"legacy-of-the-soviet-union","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pan.thatscommunication.de\/en\/legacy-of-the-soviet-union\/","title":{"rendered":"Legacy of the Soviet Union"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>In an article dated 27 August 1994, Otto von Habsburg writes about the signs, already visible then, of a renewal of the Soviet Union, which had only recently been dissolved. In the article, Otto von Habsburg also describes the West&#8217;s lack of readiness to swiftly integrate the countries that had become independent from Moscow into Western security structures. <\/em><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Recent public statements by leading Russian figures are increasingly adopting a tone reminiscent of the past. While they still do not officially invoke the legacy of the Soviet Union, there is no doubt that many aspects of Russian policy herald a re-Sovietisation. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This is particularly noticeable in the field of foreign policy, a fact that explains the anxiety of Russia&#8217;s neighbours. This is especially true since NATO&#8217;s unfortunate decision in January, which made it clear to the peoples who had regained their freedom that membership in the Western alliance would be out of the question for them in the foreseeable future. Furthermore, the West was not prepared to guarantee their security. The Partnership for Peace is not even worth the paper it is written on.   <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The statements by Russia&#8217;s leaders clearly show that they are determined to claim the legacy of the Soviet Union.<span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">This legacy is the alleged legal title for Moscow&#8217;s demand to be recognised as a great power. Here, a connection is made to the years of the &#8216;Great Patriotic Wars&#8217;\u2014that is, the Stalin era. Russia&#8217;s leaders know that today their state is anything but a great or superpower. The Kremlin&#8217;s desire to belong to the G7 nations as an eighth member, for example, does not correspond to present-day realities. The same applies to the constant demand that Russia must be respected more, but also to the threats brutally uttered by a Zhirinovsky, which can also be found between the lines of Yeltsin&#8217;s statements. It is also significant that the Kremlin systematically follows the old Soviet system in its relations with neighbouring states. Facts are boldly asserted that everyone knows are untrue. The language, too, is becoming Soviet.       <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Through its weakness and lack of loyalty to its own principles, Western policy is making itself an accomplice. Clear support for the liberated peoples could have prevented the development towards the Soviet Union. As it is, however, the leaders of the alliance between the old forces of Communism and Russian nationalism believe today that they certainly have the possibility of re-establishing the USSR under a new name.  <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In general, it must be noted that the united front between old Communists and nationalists in Russia is already a reality today. In all probability, the political future belongs to them. Behind General Rutskoy, one finds old Stalinists such as Zyuganov, Konstantinov, and the extremist General Makashov in the leadership bodies. They are preparing for the next presidential election in Russia. In this perspective, Zhirinovsky is only part of the overall picture. Rutskoy is far more of a danger to the world than the loud-mouthed demagogue.     <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">The disturbing thing about this scenario is that the West is not prepared to acknowledge the facts. Negotiations focus primarily on how to accommodate Russia or how to keep Yeltsin in power. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">More than one country is under threat. This applies first and foremost to the Baltic states. If one pays attention to the language of the Russian press and politicians, one will recognise that a pretext for aggression is being systematically sought here. It is already being claimed that National Socialism is being reborn in the Baltic states. This is supported by old images dating from the time when Hitler&#8217;s men, in agreement with the Russians, betrayed the Baltic peoples.    <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Russia is thus claiming the legacy of Stalin. In the West, people will say it was not possible to foresee this development. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">An expert in military intelligence once said that humans are incapable of keeping a secret. The only difference between Americans and Russians, he said, is that a state secret in America will certainly appear in the &#8216;Washington Post&#8217; or the &#8216;New York Times&#8217; the next day. <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">In Russia, it would come out three weeks later in a provincial newspaper. This sentence expresses a profound truth. Unfortunately, just as people were not prepared to read &#8216;Mein Kampf&#8217; at the time, they are overlooking the Russian provincial newspapers today. Reading them would be salutary for many an illusionist.   <span class=\"Apple-converted-space\"> <\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>\u00a9 Featured image: creativesforukraine.org Alexandra Dzhiganskaya<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In an article dated 27 August 1994, Otto von Habsburg writes about the signs, already visible then, of a renewal of the Soviet Union, which had only recently been dissolved. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":5224,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[749],"tags":[745,751,862,802],"class_list":["post-5223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-nato","tag-russia","tag-soviet-union","tag-the-west","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.6 - 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