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russia's imperial ambitions do not stop at Ukraine.
Some Western media and politicians acknowledge the strong sense of irredentism and imperial revanchism in russia. However, few point out how it is expressed outside of the context of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 1/
Some Western media and politicians acknowledge the strong sense of irredentism and imperial revanchism in russia. However, few point out how it is expressed outside of the context of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine. 1/
The tweet below by @olex_scherba explains exactly what the russian plans are. They have not changed since February 24. The russian "wants," however, do not match their "cans," as the world can clearly observe from the progress of the their invasion. 2/
Following the sham referenda in the currently occupied territories of Ukraine conducted Sept. 23-28, putin announced the annexation of the territories. While it sets a precedent invalidating the fraudulent annexation of Crimea, it required russia to provide "legal" grounds. 3/
The russian federal constitutional court ruling on October 2, 2022 provided the "legal" motivation to the annexations. Though the ruling is only applicable to the Zaporizhzhia Oblast, it set a precedent with wider and ominous implications. Full text: www.garant.ru/hotlaw/federal/1569333/ 4/
Two paragraphs of the ruling are critical.
1. "Due to the arbitrary decisions of the Soviet authorities, the territory of the Ukrainian SSR was largely formed from lands with a predominantly russian population, without the will of the citizens themselves... 5/
1. "Due to the arbitrary decisions of the Soviet authorities, the territory of the Ukrainian SSR was largely formed from lands with a predominantly russian population, without the will of the citizens themselves... 5/
"In a single state, which was the USSR, this in itself practically did not entail a violation of the rights of citizens living in the respective territories, then in connection with the collapse of the Union, their actual and legal situation began to change for the worse." 6/
"...in connection with the collapse of the Union, their actual and legal situation began to change..." this sentence alone delegitimizes the existence of an independent Ukraine. Worse, this has far-reaching implications for the rest of the ex-USSR states. 7/
The ruling of the russian constitutional court set a precedent allowing russia to lay "legal" territorial claims to any of the former soviet colonies. 8/
Let's look at the second paragraph:
2. "The situation worsened especially after the armed anti-constitutional coup in Kyiv in 2014. In the context of an acute socio-economic and political crisis, as well as the establishment of de facto external control by... 9/
2. "The situation worsened especially after the armed anti-constitutional coup in Kyiv in 2014. In the context of an acute socio-economic and political crisis, as well as the establishment of de facto external control by... 9/
"...the collective West, the Ukrainian authorities have pursued and continue to pursue a targeted policy that prevents those citizens who identify themselves as belonging to the russian people from maintaining their national, linguistic, religious and cultural identity." 10/
The second paragraph lays out the mechanics behind the annexation of the Zaporizhzhia Oblast. While the court ruling applies only to a single oblast, the russians set a precedent for all of Ukraine along with the rest of ex-soviet countries. Such are the russian ambitions. 11/
The Oct. 2 russian constitutional court ruling "legalized" the reasoning that putin provided in his address to the nation on Feb. 21, 2020:
"...modern Ukraine was entirely created by russia or, to be more precise, by bolshevik, communist russia... 12/
"...modern Ukraine was entirely created by russia or, to be more precise, by bolshevik, communist russia... 12/
"This process started practically right after the 1917 revolution, and Lenin and his associates did it in a way that was extremely harsh on russia – by separating, severing what is historically russian land. Nobody asked the millions of people living there what they thought." 13/
putin explained russia's ambitions to rebuild its empire within the borders of 1914:
"...why was it necessary to appease the nationalists, to satisfy the ceaselessly growing nationalist ambitions on the outskirts of the former empire? What was the point of transferring... 14/
"...why was it necessary to appease the nationalists, to satisfy the ceaselessly growing nationalist ambitions on the outskirts of the former empire? What was the point of transferring... 14/
"...to the newly, often arbitrarily formed administrative units – the union republics – vast territories that had nothing to do with them? Let me repeat that these territories were transferred along with the population of what was historically russia." en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/67828 15/
Is putin irrational? No. He is addressing the desires of the russian people. Imperial revanchism in russia has been lingering since the collapse of the soviet union. The russians love wars of conquest and land grabs as it feeds into the deeply rooted russian exceptionalism. 16/
The three large spikes in putin's approval ratings are all linked to large wars and land grabs: 1. The Second Chechen War; 2. The annexation of Crimea/war in Dobas; 3. The full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Note that the mobilization announcement created a small dip. S: Levada 17/ 
It is critical that russia is not only stopped in Ukraine but also suffers a total defeat to prevent other russian invasions into neighboring countries.
And the only long-term peace plan that would work is the decolonization of the russian federation. 18/18
And the only long-term peace plan that would work is the decolonization of the russian federation. 18/18
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Jason Scott Montoya @JasonSMontoya
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Dec 4, 2022
- Curated in Russia Invades Ukraine
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