The War Isn’t Just About Ukraine — It’s About Rewriting 1991
Inside Russia’s security elite, largely shaped by former KGB networks, a long-standing belief persists: the Soviet Union didn’t fail economically; it failed because it was a union of republics rather than a single, centralized state.
From this perspective, Ukraine is not the only issue. The challenge lies in the existence of independent states that emerged after 1991. After the USSR collapsed, 15 countries became sovereign nations, including:
Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia
Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan
In the mindset of Russian imperial thinking, these states are often seen not as independent nations but as historical anomalies — mistakes to be corrected.
Why peace talks struggle:
True peace requires recognition of borders and sovereignty
Territorial revisionism must be abandoned
These principles directly contradict the ideological foundation of today’s Russian system
What is possible: ceasefires, tactical pauses, temporary agreements
What is not possible: a lasting strategic peace that fully accepts the post-1991 order
Bottom line:
This conflict is not about emotion or short-term security. It’s a long-term effort to rewrite the outcomes of 1991. As long as this worldview dominates, the key question isn’t whether Putin wants peace — it’s whether the system itself can abandon imperial ambitions.
#Geopolitics #Russia #Ukraine #PostSoviet #Imperialism
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