[abraxas]

> Also, Russia is not the USSR.

Russia is a direct inheritor of the legacy of USSR. Culturally as well as legally. But I digress.

My personal experience is but one data point for you and other westerners. Just be aware that sometimes a spade really is a spade and when I and millions like me tell you that Russia is a piece of shit neighbour then maybe just maybe we are on to something more so than American born, basement dwelling teenage edgelords who tell you otherwise?

[yesbut]

I just view Russia's position similarly to how the US would perceive China wanting to build a security alliance with Canada and Mexico and install advanced weapons systems (capable of reaching US cities in minutes) along Canadia/US and Mexico/US borders. From that perspective it isn't difficult to comprehend why NATO (basically the US) setting up shop on Russia's borders might be perceived as antagonistic to Russia. This isn't rocket surgery.

[abraxas]

> China wanting to build a security alliance with Canada and Mexico and install advanced weapons systems

This analogy is flawed for two reasons.

First, the USA is not trying to build advanced weapons systems on Russia's borders. Russia's neighbours are BEGGING the US to install advanced weapons systems on their borders to keep Russia at bay. That's issue number one.

Issue number two is that this analogy would only work if USA had a history of constantly threatening Canada with military invasion and had a history of abusing and committing genocide against its citizens. In which case would you really then be surprised if Canada sought overseas protection from its abusive next door neighbour?

Just look a bit into the history (go back a few centuries) of what Russia did to its neighbours. Take my native Poland for example. I don't think there was a single century where Russia did not try to meddle with its affairs or outright invade in our 1000 year shared history. The 19th and 20th centuries being particularly brutal as the relative strength of Russia became more disproportionate.

[yesbut]

> Russia's neighbours are BEGGING the US to install advanced weapons systems on their borders to keep Russia at bay. That's issue number one.

The US / NATO is a US weapons sales grift.