Russians Responsible for Breakup of Soviet Union and have No Allies among Former Soviet Republics, Alksnis Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Dec. 10 – There are two widespread views about the breakup of the Soviet Union, Viktor Alksnis says; and both are wrong. Many believe that the non-Russians were behind this when in fact it was the fault of Russian people; and many think of this “geopolitical tragedy” as a one-time event when in fact it continues and may even be intensifying.

            As a result of these misconceptions and the fact that the Russian Federation has nothing positive to offer the non-Russians, the politician who opposed the independence of the non-Russian republics 30 years ago says, Russia has no friends or allies among them (svpressa.ru/politic/article/397504/).

            No “civilized divorce” among the republics took place, again despite what many believe, Alksnis argues. Indeed, he says, the conflict in Ukraine is “the direct result of the collapse” and thus the direct result of support for the independence of the non-Russian republics by many Russians and their leaders three decades ago.

            Moreover, and despite what Moscow leaders say, “there are no integrative processes on the post-Soviet space. Instead, the former Soviet republics are splitting apart still further. And to a large extent, this is the fault of the leadership of the Russian Federation which for 33 years has done everything imaginable to drive away from us our former friends.”

            According to Alksnis, “there are no hopes for change because Russia today is not a country attractive for the former union republics. If they were interested in close relations with the RSFSR as part of the USSR, today, there is none of that.” Russia has no allies among them, and all of them are likely to move further away from Russia in the future.