You may want to include Russia's autocratic imposition of communism on their satellite countries and their use of Russian troops and KGB operatives to suppress any dissent. Take a look at Hungary in 1956 or Czechoslovakia in 1968 as examples. This is on top of a long history of Russia back to centuries of using brutal suppression to subject people. Take a look at Russian imperialism since 1500 -- it is well documented. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_imperialism#Russian_colonial_expansion
Putin complaining about colonization while he is in the middle of invading a sovereign country is rich. I wonder how the independent Stan and Baltic states feel about the hegemony? And if you don’t like the dollar use another currency just don’t complain when you can’t get what you need from the American market or through its trade networks.
lol uwutm8? Russian imperialism was a thing before Marx was a twinkle in his father's eye. The Soviets just doubled down on stupid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_imperialism#Russian_colonial_expansion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_imperialism#Soviet_expansionism
That's just lazy whataboutism, we are talking of the current times aka more civilized times relatively.
The funny thing is, I actually do read history. I do it during the time I have free because I'm not on here posting all day.
Lolwutlolwut. That does not counter what I said about the difference in sheer numbers killed between early 20th century Russia, and all those other centuries.
What are you currently reading? I have just started reading Wilmington's Lie (WINNER OF THE 2021 PULITZER PRIZE): The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy on my Kindle. I tend to read a lot of history and historical fiction.
Anyway, this Ukraine thing has made the two of you a couple of flag thumpers. I have never been that, I have been a consistent critic of US foreign policy and meddling for years now. There's more to this story than "US good Russia bad Putin anti-christ".
At the moment I'm reading climate change and ecological overshoot. The only problem worth talking about in this century imo. Which makes me question why I got involved in the Russo-Ukraine war topic at all, it's just passengers kicking the ice around on the Titanic's deck.
so you've been a consistent flag waver of "America bad". How is that any different? That's because I'm specifically calling out "narrowing down" time frames to fit your "not as imperialist" argument as BS. Every empire ever had periods of no empire building. Plus Soviet expansionism was by far worse policy than mercantile expansionism/globalization, something that gets labeled "imperialism" all the time.