Warum sehen sich Russen als Opfer? Ein Historiker erklärt die „imperiale Unschuld“

SS (from the text): Many Russians, even among those who oppose Russia’s war against Ukraine, still hesitate to take responsibility, blaming the invasion on NATO provocation or conspiracy theories about US meddling and a coup. Experts say that this is because the “victim” mentality persists in Russian society today. But why is that?

Some point to the historical brutality of Russian regimes or even the difficult situation in the 1990s. But some oppose this notion, reasonably pointing out that not only Russia but Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe and Central Asia experienced a brutal Soviet regime and even more difficult 1990s. While Russia was aided by the West to recover from collapse, these countries were not or much less so. Yet, neither Ukraine nor Kazakhstan initiated brutal wars while portraying themselves as victims.

So, for some experts, the difference between Ukraine and Kazakhstan, as opposed to Russia, is clear: Ukraine and Kazakhstan were colonies of an empire, while Russia was the empire. But what about today? Is Russia still an empire?