Quote: (10-10-2018 02:52 AM)Hand of Chaos Wrote:
Republics of the Soviet Union:
Russia
Ukraine
Belarus
Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan
Georgia
Azerbaijan
Lithuania
Moldavia
Latvia
Kirghizia
Tajikistan
Armenia
Turkmenia
Estonia
Sure, we called them "the Russians" as a shorthand reference back in the day, and Russia was, of course, dominant in terms of size, population and power, but calling the USSR "the Russians" isn't quite accurate.
Quote: (10-09-2018 04:44 AM)JackinMelbourne Wrote:
Quote: (10-08-2018 09:19 PM)Hand of Chaos Wrote:
Finland ran the Russians (well, Soviets) ragged the last time they made a go of it. I wouldn't dismiss them out of hand.
...wait, Soviet is not Russian? Who then?
Fuck you!
All these republics were conquered and were unwilling participants of Soviet Union.
At least in Baltic states 99% of all native speaking people detest soviet regime and all things communist.
It's the Russian speaking part of population that sadly flirts with the idea or restoring the "power and might" of Soviet Union.
You know what is tragedy of Latvian people? Half of young male population was unwillingly drafted in Soviet army, other half was unwillingly drafted in Nazi army. Brother was forced to fight against brother because each side were holding half of their family as hostages to be sent to death camp / gulag if they do not fight.
To this day there are cretins and hatemongers who keep calling these few old people remaining or their descendants Nazis or Soviets.
Fuck you!
Obviously not all Russians are pro soviet and pro communist - but very very many of them are obsessed with this vain idea of Russia having to return to superpower status and Russia being wronged by destruction of Soviet Union.
The Russian mentality allows them to be content with corrupt government, with bribery and oligarchy, with kleptocracy and economic stagnation being seen as normal, if it is all but for the glory and power of the gerzava (state). This makes them capable of extreme austerity, which makes them dangerous and unpredictable.
This mindset is very different from western European mindset where people are mostly concerned with quality of life and freedoms and and liberties and strong economy and don't care about the might of their country and size of their armies that much.
Oh, and fuck you for calling my people soviets a thousand times.