Paul Goble
Staunton, Sept. 12 – Rafael Ordukhanyan, the host of the “America-Lite” program on Govorit Moskva, says that the Russian government needs to set up a “ministry of integration” to manage the process of absorbing not only the Donbass but also adding other neighboring territories to the Russian Federation, first economically and then politically.
“The time is ripe for such a ministry or some other structure to coordinate this action,” the Russian Americanist says. “This is not a question of seizure; it is one of integration and primarily economic integration” at least to begin with (riafan.ru/1519727-politolog-orduhanyan-nastalo-vremya-dlya-sozdaniya-ministerstva-integracii-rossii).
Vladimir Putin’s negotiations with Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka are an example of the way integration should work, but because Russia hopes to integrate other areas, including the Donbass, there needs to be a structure that will manage this process and ensure a careful and balanced approach.
It is unlikely that the Kremlin will act on this proposal given that such a blatant indication of Moscow’s intentions would make it more difficult for Putin to achieve his ends which depend often on denying what he is in fact doing. But the fact that such suggestions are being made indicates how many in the Russian capital are thinking.
And to understand just as radical and dangerous such an approach is, one need only imagine how almost everyone would react if any other country on earth were to create such a ministry for taking portions of neighboring countries under its wing and ultimately moving to absorb them.
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