[ponector]

Also USSR was never an authoritarian communist state. They had elected leaders!

Unless Moscow is not part of russia you can't say they weren't occupied by russia.

[MobiusHorizons]

Authoritarian has nothing to do with elections, it has everything to do with the ability of people without positions of power to influence those in power without retribution. Most countries have elections, these days, but there is no lack of authoritarian rulers staying in power for decades and jailing or murdering their opposition.

[rembal]

So, who elected Stalin? He was the head of the USSR after all.