The thesis of the article is that Russians have a long standing fear from the USSR days that the border would one day be closed, and then they couldn't get out of Russia. That fear followed by the recent airspace closures, has led to significant emigration. And this fear has an even earlier trauma of closed borders from the 1917 revolution, which also saw hundreds of thousands emigrate from Russia.
It goes on to make comparisons between the two emigrations, then and now. But also the different perspectives: those who flee and those who stay. Those who stayed following 1917 were very critical of those who fled, the same is happening already today. The author doesn't question whether history will repeat itself, it shows it is. Including for those who leave.
>That they will be welcomed abroad as "Putin’s people," and not at all as those who fought desperately, although unsuccessfully, against him for 20 years.
>Lenin called intellectuals the "shit" of the nation and did everything in his power to make them leave or disappear. Putin has rid himself of this "shit" just as effectively.
It goes on to make comparisons between the two emigrations, then and now. But also the different perspectives: those who flee and those who stay. Those who stayed following 1917 were very critical of those who fled, the same is happening already today. The author doesn't question whether history will repeat itself, it shows it is. Including for those who leave.
>That they will be welcomed abroad as "Putin’s people," and not at all as those who fought desperately, although unsuccessfully, against him for 20 years.
>Lenin called intellectuals the "shit" of the nation and did everything in his power to make them leave or disappear. Putin has rid himself of this "shit" just as effectively.