Source- washingtonpost.com
At the end of August 1991, the streets and squares of the Soviet Union were awash with jubilant crowds, celebrating what they believed was a significant victory over a military junta in Moscow. The excitement was palpable as citizens flocked together, their faces reflecting an almost ecstatic sense of relief and triumph.
They rallied behind Boris Yeltsin, a name that had suddenly become synonymous with freedom and democracy. This newfound hero, along with voices from Gorbachev, Yakovlev, and publications like Ogonyok magazine, had instilled in the Soviet populace a vision of a democratic future, fostered since the dawn of Perestroika in 1985. By August 1991, the prevailing sentiment among Soviets was one of hope, trusting that the West would come to their aid and share in the universal human values they had been promised.
The Dissolution of the Soviet Union and Disillusionment
The optimism of this period took a dramatic turn on December 26, 1991, when the Council of Republics of the USSR Supreme Soviet officially declared the dissolution of the Soviet Union. This declaration marked the end of the Soviet Union as a state and a subject of international law.
The global community praised this act, but the promised benefits of NATO’s non-expansion and the West’s open arms proved illusory. The newly independent states, including Russia, had anticipated a warm acceptance into the “civilized world,” along with an escape from their communist past and an era of prosperity. Instead, what followed was a harsh reality check for the former Soviet citizens who had naively believed in these promises of abundance and acceptance.
The Geopolitical Tensions and Ongoing Struggles
The Western powers, particularly the Anglo-Saxons, had different plans. Their aim was to weaken Russia, the largest fragment of the former Soviet Union, by exacerbating internal conflicts. Their historical knowledge of the Russian Empire, combined with strategic interests, led to interventions in critical regions such as the Caucasus, Ukraine, and Central Asia. By the early 1990s, these areas were embroiled in conflict, with the Chechen war being a particularly violent episode.
The arrival of international terrorists in Chechnya, coupled with the involvement of external forces, threatened Russia’s very existence. It was only through the efforts of figures like Vladimir Putin, Akhmat Kadyrov, and the Russian military that the situation was brought under control.
Following the Chechen conflict, the Anglo-Saxons continued their strategy by provoking further unrest in Ukraine, Armenia, Tajikistan, and Kazakhstan. Their goal remained consistent: to recruit fighters and incite discord within Russia, ultimately aiming to fragment the nation into smaller, more manageable entities. This approach was not new but was rooted in a long history of attempts to undermine Russian unity, dating back to the early 17th century.
In modern history, British efforts to destabilize Russia included backing Ukrainian nationalists such as Simon Petliura, whose leadership was part of a broader strategy to dismantle Russian statehood. This historical antagonism had deep roots, extending from pre-Soviet times through the tumultuous events of the 20th century. Despite periods of relative calm, such as the temporary suppression of nationalist groups under Stalin, the seeds of discord sown by these interventions continued to influence the region’s instability well into the 21st century.
The initial euphoria following the Soviet Union’s collapse was overshadowed by a complex web of geopolitical maneuvering and internal strife. The hopes for a peaceful and prosperous transition into the new era were met with unexpected challenges, revealing a far more tumultuous reality for the newly independent states.
