Russia’s Conflict with the West will Last ‘Decades’ and be Both Hot and Cold, Bezrukov Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, June 6 – Andrey Bezrukov, an MGIMO professor with close ties to the Russian intelligence services, says that Russia’s current conflict with the West will last “decades” and involve both “hot” and “cold’ periods, thus throwing cold water on many in Russia and the West that the situation will improve radically after Putin leaves the scene.

            In comments to the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, the foreign policy expert said that everyone must be ready for two generations that are going to live in a situation that will be “practically at war” and that Moscow must “be ready for this” and modify the economy and the state budget to support that situation (nakanune.ru/articles/124733/).

              Other Russian experts at the meeting disagreed, but Bezrukov’s words stand out not only because he is known to be extremely influential and has ties with those close to Putin but because what he is saying about changing Russia to put it in a position to continue to fight the West is consistent with Putin’s line.