
Russia and the Curse of Geography - dctoedt
http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/10/russia-geography-ukraine-syria/413248/?single_page=true
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ajuc
Article presents Russian POV.

For example it states that Kievan Rus was Russian predecesor state, "in what
is now Ukraine".

It's like saying Roman Empire was a French predecessor state in what is now
Italy. Not the whole story.

Not that it matters much, but it's one of the constantly repeated points of
Russian propaganda - that Ukraine is a temporary state with no history.

And considering the defense as explanation for military conquests of Russia -
which country in the west was supposed to invade Russia through Ukraine?
Eastern EU and NATO members, with no power to do that by themselves, no
nuclear detterent, much smaller military budgets, and no territorial demands
in Russia?

I propose different explanation: Russia is governed by Putin for over a
decade, he promised "prosperity instead of freedom", and delivered till 2013,
mostly thanks to high oil prices. Ukraine was always portraited by Russia as
"almost Russia", and Ukrainians started revolutions to win "freedom and
prosperity" through eventual accession to EU.

Putin couldn't allow that to success, because if that is possible in Ukraine -
it's possible in Russia. Few years ago there were big demonstrations against
Putin in Moscow and St. Petersburg after another flawed elections (famous
140+% of votes in some districts :) ).

As long as Ukraine is an enemy, and is in crisis - no risk of Russians doing
Majdan in Moscow.

~~~
usaphp
> and Ukrainians started revolutions to win "freedom and prosperity" through
> eventual accession to EU.

Do you really believe that accession to EU brings "freedom and prosperity" to
its counties? Looking at Greece and some other EU countries it seems quite the
opposite

~~~
Zigurd
It is no need of roses. But preferable to being in the Russian sphere of
influence.

~~~
SanFranManDan
To play devil's (or should I say Putin's :P ) advocate for a second, there are
non-quantifiable properties of life beyond money. Russians treat their culture
as sacred and would give (and have given) up a great deal to preserve it. Its
still kind of hard to wrap my mind around it. The communist fought tooth and
nail to try to rid the different soviet states of it, but it persevered.

There is an unquantifiable property that Russia holds dear. It can take the
blows and as long as people have jobs and are fed, most are content with the
life they have and unless the money comes from a Russian source (natural
resources or something else), they fear that it will destroy their culture.

~~~
Zigurd
Are you saying Ukrainians are Russian? Even the ones who are tend to proclaim
this position from the comfort of being outside of Russia.

And I meant to write "no bed of roses."

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varjag
Right, blame it on geography. And climate. Warm water ports, right? Home to
the smallest, least significant of the 4, strategically trapped Russian fleet,
but it's warm all right?

But how about Urals? One great natural defence barrier from the East right
there, what was the point going beyond it? (Rhetorical Q). Hint: the Duchy of
Moscow (renamed to Russia by Peter the Great) did not end up the biggest state
on planet Earth by playing nice with neighbours and sitting in defence.

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IIAOPSW
coincidentally I had recently read the stratfor version of basically the same
thing.

[http://www.colorado.edu/geography/class_homepages/geog_4892_...](http://www.colorado.edu/geography/class_homepages/geog_4892_sum10/Geopoliticsofrussia_stratfor.pdf)

Is the Atlantic blatantly ripping off stratfor these days?

