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Topic:

Russian Imperialism

Country:

Russia

Issue:

Article ID:

30

Title:

Opinion: A sober look at the successors of the Russian 'Empire'

Author:

Adam Sybera

Date:

March 17, 2024

Source:

Kyiv Independent

Reference:

Summary:

Quotes:

Russian opposition leaders often present themselves as champions of freedom and democracy, and are often embraced as such by well-meaning but sometimes naive Western donors. However, a closer examination reveals that their advocacy largely revolves around maintaining Russia as a unified and powerful state. Far from being proponents of liberal values, these leaders are often pragmatic political operators vying for the position of successor to Russian President Vladimir Putin. They compete for funding and public support, which can lead to violent confrontations, as seen in the recent hammer attack on late Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny’s supporters allegedly orchestrated by associates of Russian businessman Mikhail Khodorkovsky. In order to stay relevant, they emphasize protecting the interests of Russia and Russians... It’s hard to overlook [Yuliya Navalnaya's] strong endorsement of Russia as a state of consolidated peoples. Her stance on preserving Russia as a “great” and “unified” entity reflects a broader trend among Russian opposition figures, as echoed by Khodorkovsky at the “Russia Beyond Putin” panel at the GLOBSEC conference... Endorsing the idea of a unified Russia, even while opposing the Kremlin, ultimately supports the system of oppression that has long subjugated various ethnic groups and regions within its borders... While they may criticize Putin’s methods, they rarely challenge the underlying notion of a “strong” and “unified” Russia, which has persisted long before Putin and will likely continue unless fundamentally confronted. The problem extends beyond Putin and the Kremlin to the broader concept of Russia as an imperial entity, a notion deeply embedded in Russian political culture and perpetuated by both the regime and the opposition. Such positions inherently sustain the oppression of the numerous nations within the Russian Federation, as well as historically and currently abused neighbors. Rather than addressing the fundamental issues, these leaders primarily target Putin and his closest advisors as figureheads. This focus often misleads Western policymakers, who may assume that those fleeing Russia oppose the system’s core values. To better understand the Russian opposition in exile, consider that their primary motivation is political competition for leadership as an alternative or successor to Putin... Ultimately, the Russian opposition appears less concerned with justice or democratic values and more focused on advocating for the Russian nation under a different guise. Their inclination to prioritize Russia’s interests over universal principles of justice suggests that their goal is not the decolonization of Russian politics but the preservation of Russian influence in a more palatable form. If they were truly committed to justice, they would champion the causes of oppressed nations, rather than prioritizing the Russian one.

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