[danbruc]

I am absolutely no expert in politics, I just spend two days reading and watching stuff to learn how we ended up in this situation. I am now writing this comments to share what I learned but also to be challenged and corrected in case I got things wrong. So I don't mind downvotes, especially if it is because I got things wrong and people correct me and I gain a better understanding. And I am also willing to take a few downvotes because people just don't like what I say, even though it is a bit annoying as my comments end up further down and are probably less likely to receive comments pointing out my mistakes.

[prox]

Russia not being a democracy is the real problem. From early 2000 on Putin has solidified his power through shady means. Look up the various killings, from journalists and others.

After that, he has used all of his “Active Measures” (look that up too) to divide the West. Also I sincerely doubt we would be in this mess if Russia was a functioning democracy.

Basically you have one guy who can damage the world, answering to no one. Russia and Russians was never the problem, just one man and his cronies.

There were a ton of alternatives that would have made Russia more powerful and respected without resorting to Soviet tactics.

[danbruc]

Russia not being a democracy is the real problem. From early 2000 on Putin has solidified his power through shady means. Look up the various killings, from journalists and others.

Of course, I will not argue with that, Russia is no democracy and Putin an autocrat who is willing to kill for his power. But this doesn't necessarily make any implications about his foreign policy, you can run an autocratic country without desiring to conquer the rest of the world.

After that, he has used all of his “Active Measures” (look that up too) to divide the West.

I am aware of the term but not much more and I will do some further reading. But interestingly the Wikipedia article [1] in the section »1991 to present« starts with 2014, which is well passed 2008 and aligns with Ukraine's renewed desire to become a NATO member.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Active_measures

[prox]

This NYT opinion piece can fill some gaps : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tR_6dibpDfo

From there you can search up some terms and periods mentioned in that video.

[danbruc]

I have skipped through it and it mirrors my first impression from Wikipedia - the first part talks about the time before the dissolution of the USSR, then it jumps to the time after 2008 and mostly after 2014.

[prox]

I wouldn’t skip through it honestly, the whole thing is really a decent watch.

You can find more perhaps at https://csis.org

[danbruc]

I think I have seen this before and skipped through it slowly enough the get the gist, all the details and which fake news were spread is not really too interesting to me. I have no reason to doubt that the USSR or Russia did use those active measures.

The interesting thing is the gap in the timeline which aligns with other resources I found. There was a time when all the current mess was avoidable, a time at which Russia was eager to work with the West, a time at which Russia was heading towards a NATO membership through the Partnership for Peace program. But things went south and Russia turned against NATO and the USA again, Putin's 2007 speech at the Munich Security Conference is probably the most well known expression of Russia's or Putin's frustration [4].

M. E. Sarotte: Not One Inch - America, Russia, and the Making of Post-Cold War Stalemate (2022) [1]

John Mearsheimer: Why is Ukraine the West's Fault? (2015) [2]

Vladimir Pozner: How the United States Created Vladimir Putin (2018) [3]

Vladimir Putin: Speech at Munich Security Conference (2007) [4]

[1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXBKGRPwfZw

[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrMiSQAGOS4

[3] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X7Ng75e5gQ

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQ58Yv6kP44