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Original poster

This is not a goady post - does Putin really want to go after the rest of the former Soviet Union ?

126 replies

boombopbam · 23/02/2025 08:18

I'm not trying to annoy posters by asking this question. It's just that I'm increasingly coming across a lot of people who are increasingly supporting the likes of Trump and the far right in general in other countries ( Germany, Italy ) and who genuinely believe Trump is doing the right thing by aligning with Putin ( messing over the Ukraine in the process ).

They believe that Russia will stop at Ukraine and there is no evidence that they'll go further than that and therefore we should stay the fuck out of it/ stop arming UK and get them to settle their conflict. Because carrying on supporting Ukraine will lead to WW3.

I'm trying to understand if Russia will continue and actually try to go further than Ukraine or not on one hand. On the other hand, should we just stand by and watch let Russia win ? It's also not right, but is it our business ?

Again, not trying to inflame the situation on here. I'm just trying to learn about different point of views as I'm bombarded with the far right thing in real life at the moment.

I don't get how pretty much everyone I know is being turned to support the far right.

OP posts:
LordEmsworth · 23/02/2025 08:30

Will the very powerful man who thought the Soviet Union should never have been broken up, try to reinstate the Soviet Union, if he gets the backing from other powerful men? Why wouldn't he? He's unlikely to have a sudden attack of conscience...

Renohouse · 23/02/2025 08:31

Looks at World War 2 and the policy of appeasement

Original poster
boombopbam · 23/02/2025 08:34

LordEmsworth · 23/02/2025 08:30

Will the very powerful man who thought the Soviet Union should never have been broken up, try to reinstate the Soviet Union, if he gets the backing from other powerful men? Why wouldn't he? He's unlikely to have a sudden attack of conscience...

So it's an absolute given that's what he wants to do ?

OP posts:
Original poster
boombopbam · 23/02/2025 08:35

Renohouse · 23/02/2025 08:31

Looks at World War 2 and the policy of appeasement

I suppose at least it gives us some time to invest in our defence more.

OP posts:
ExtraOnions · 23/02/2025 08:35

Yes, he wants his Empire back …

BitOutOfPractice · 23/02/2025 08:36

My understanding is that he wants to recreate the old Russian Empire.

today that would include Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and the United States (Alaska).

If I were living in Estonia for example, I’d be nervous. They were already nervous when I was there last summer.

Original poster
boombopbam · 23/02/2025 08:37

Has he said that he wants his empire back ?

OP posts:
SinkToTheBottomWithYou · 23/02/2025 08:37

There is a very interesting short series on Netflix at the moment about the Cold War. Easy to watch and a good insight into the relationship between Russia, Ukraine and the other ex-Soviet countries.

ladsladzladse · 23/02/2025 08:38

This is not a goady answer:

FUCK, YES !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Poland, the Baltics, and Moldova have been saying this forever.

Dolamroth · 23/02/2025 08:38

He's paranoid about NATO being on his border so wants a buffer zone eg Pro-Russian puppet regimes like Belarus. I don't think he's trying to recreate the USSR.

Don't think he's planning anything in Central Asia for example.

Vielleicht · 23/02/2025 08:38

BitOutOfPractice · 23/02/2025 08:36

My understanding is that he wants to recreate the old Russian Empire.

today that would include Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Poland, Moldova, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and the United States (Alaska).

If I were living in Estonia for example, I’d be nervous. They were already nervous when I was there last summer.

Don't forget the influence of the USSR over many other eastern European countries too.

Porcuporpoise · 23/02/2025 08:39

The population if the Baltic States have been extremely nervous since the attack on Ukraine started. See also Finland.

PeggyMitchellsCameo · 23/02/2025 08:39

Have read lots about Putin’s life. He was working in East Germany as a low level operative when the Berlin Wall fell. He was ambitious to move up in the KGB, having been brought up in abject poverty.
When the wall fell he had to take his wife and family and drive back to Moscow. He was furious about what was happening, that Russia was going to lose its status. And he was determined to make something of his life in the new set up.
From what I have read/researched/listened to he wants Russia to have its status and previous lands returned to the ‘former glories’ he remembers. And the days of elections with any kind of choices are well gone.
When you look at what happened to Navalny, and anyone who opposes him, including the oligarchs he was envious of due to their wealth, he wants ultimate power and huge personal wealth for himself.
I am not sure about this point but he thinks Trump is someone he can manipulate.
I think what has happened in Ukraine is awful, the war crimes terrible. When you think of what’s happened to women there, too, it’s like it has never occurred.

orangewasp · 23/02/2025 08:41

Yes, no doubt. And Trump cosying up to him makes it all the more likely.

user1471505356 · 23/02/2025 08:42

He badly misjudged the war/special operation. Like the previous collapse of the USSR which was due to the cost of trying to match the spending of the West, His plan will fail.

Paulrn · 23/02/2025 08:44

The Russian mind set after World war 2 was to ensure the motherland was never invaded again they lost upwards of 24 million people where we and the US lost about 1M. Therefore they set up buffers between Russia and the rest of the world. Putin wants this back to, in his mind protect Russia from NATO which he sees as ever expanding. This and the fact he is an egotistical nutter means yes they Wii take it all back if we let them.

Superhansrantowindsor · 23/02/2025 08:47

SinkToTheBottomWithYou · 23/02/2025 08:37

There is a very interesting short series on Netflix at the moment about the Cold War. Easy to watch and a good insight into the relationship between Russia, Ukraine and the other ex-Soviet countries.

What is the name of it please? I’d like to watch it.

Vielleicht · 23/02/2025 08:49

SinkToTheBottomWithYou · 23/02/2025 08:37

There is a very interesting short series on Netflix at the moment about the Cold War. Easy to watch and a good insight into the relationship between Russia, Ukraine and the other ex-Soviet countries.

What perspective is it from?

heldinadream · 23/02/2025 08:49

boombopbam · 23/02/2025 08:37

Has he said that he wants his empire back ?

Yes, frequently. At this time in the morning this article is the first thing I can find but there is loads of evidence, much of it right out of his own mouth, that that is exactly what he wants and what he believes is the right of Russia to possess and assert dominion over.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/10/putin-compares-himself-to-peter-the-great-in-quest-to-take-back-russian-lands

BitOutOfPractice · 23/02/2025 08:49

Vielleicht · 23/02/2025 08:38

Don't forget the influence of the USSR over many other eastern European countries too.

Show quote history

I haven’t forgotten that. I don’t think he wants the Soviet Union back. He’s not a communist. He wants the Russian Empire back. From what he sees as his country’s most glorious era, the Russian Empire.

Deerrobin · 23/02/2025 08:51

Yes, why would he suddenly stop his life’s ambition/work because the rest of the world decided to make it easier for him?

Vielleicht · 23/02/2025 08:52

BitOutOfPractice · 23/02/2025 08:49

I haven’t forgotten that. I don’t think he wants the Soviet Union back. He’s not a communist. He wants the Russian Empire back. From what he sees as his country’s most glorious era, the Russian Empire.

Show quote history

It was a general 'don't forget', not to you specifically. 👍

WarmthAndDepth · 23/02/2025 08:54

I have come across a few people at work, both men and women, who are now airing pro-Trumpian sympathies while gossiping in the staffroom. Knowing them, it's part of a kind of psychological make up of which defining characteristics include a tendency to want to make the abhorrent make sense as its too much of a head-fuck to realise how bad something really is. So it's easier to defer to P + T's carve up of Ukraine as 'their own business' than to take a cold hard look at the current unfolding situation and future projections and acknowledge the peril we find ourselves in. These were people whose social media were ostentatiously blue and yellow this time three years ago and is crimson with poppies every November.
But people are a bit soft these days.

Roseshavethorns · 23/02/2025 08:55

Yes, he wants the Russian Empire back.
If I lived in Alaska I would be getting twitchy too.

BitOutOfPractice · 23/02/2025 08:55

I assumed it was aimed at me being as you quoted me. Anyway, I think he wants an empire, not a sphere of influence. And now he’s got away with it twice in Ukraine what’s to stop the unhinged megalomaniac now?