Struggle of ‘Reds‘ and ‘Whites’ has Now Resumed witha Vengeance in Putin Regime and among Its Supporters, Zemskova Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, May 20 – A century ago, during the Russian Civil War, the country was divided between “the whites” who wanted to restore the Russian empire and “the reds” who wanted to create a new communist one. Their battle ended then with a victory by the reds; but now their contest has resumed, Elena Zemskova says.

            Those who support Putin’s war in Ukraine, both within his regime and among the Russian population, almost all feel that that conflict is really about the beginning of a fundamental change in Russia itself, with some seeing it becoming a renewed empire and others seeing it as a renewed USSR, the Rosbalt commentator says.

            Each side has had some victories but each has suffered some losses, a clear indication, Zemskova suggests, that the battle is far from over and will continue, however much the Kremlin thinks it can combine the two into a single entity. In fact, she suggests, the country will have to make a choice (rosbalt.ru/blogs/2022/05/20/1958622.html).

            If it chooses one way, the remaining elements that appear to be part of the other will become vestigial; if it chooses the other, the same thing will happen to the other side. But if it refuses to make a choice, there is a great danger than all the institutions will be meaningless and weak; and Russia neither red nor white will find itself as now on the path to decay.