[notriskfree]

Exactly; when there was a clash of civilizations between a free west and a repressive soviet union; it made sense that Russia was the enemy.

Now it is just a conflict between different European powers with varying levels of dysfunctional democracy and corrupt elites.

So what is the basis for hating the Russians now; racism?

[burntoutfire]

Russia's whole political culture is the one of conquest. Their ambition was pretty much always to conquer as much of Europe and Asia as possible, and the mindset haven't changed in XXI century - neither among elites nor among common folk. They're still pretty much a typical XIX century empire, they didn't yet go the shift to focusing on economic domination that UK, Germany, US, Japan went through since.

[remarkEon]

Yeah I’m fine with framing it like this. It’s just run of the mill geopolitical conflict. Calling Russians “the enemy” today is just shallow and lazy.

[IOT_Apprentice]

Putin and his policy of destabilization of the West, from financing Brexit supporters, to poisoning his political opponents.

[kanox]

Russians are not the enemy, Russia is the enemy.

And this is based on Putin's foreign policy towards smaller neighbors that it historically controlled.