Russia’s War in Ukraine ‘Next Phase of Continuing Disintegration of the Soviet Empire,’ Pastukhov Says

Paul Goble

            Staunton, Jan. 20 – Many analysts of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine argue that this is an ethnic war, one between two different nations, or an ideological one, between a people committed to one kind of political and social system against another committed to a different one, Vladimir Pastukhov says.

            There is some truth in both of these approaches, the London-based Russian analyst says; but the best way to understand what is going on is to recognize tat this conflict is “the next phase of the continuing disintegration of the Soviet empire” (t.me/v_pastukhov/946 reposted at kasparov.ru/material.php?id=65AC00414B1DF).

            “Such a war could develop anywhere in the gigantic post-Soviet space,” Pastukhov says. Indeed, “it is going on across this entire space.” And the fact that at present, it is assuming a most violent form between two of the successor states “should not mislead anyone.” Instead, it should be recognized as part of the disintegration process.

            Although Pastukhov does not address this, one of the most important reasons that analysts in Russia and the West are reluctant to admit this is that both generally have talked about how peaceful the demise of the USSR was in 1991. That was true but only for a remarkably brief time, and now the inherent violence of the breakup over the course of a longer time is clear.