Return of the Soviet Union?

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In the past couple of years, Russia has been turning back into it's old ways. President Putin has continued to gain power and destroy any democratic movement in the country.

Russian Forces have been growing and modernizing. Russian Bombers and nuclear submarines patrols are back. Russian Ground Forces have been training with French and Chinese troops for a possible invasion of an unnamed island and also of a large mechanized war against a NATO like power. Russian Intelligence services have been picking off former agents that defected to the west. Also they have been targeting former Soviet member states like Estonia and Georgia.

A large youth movement called the Nashi (Russian for "Ours") has been state created by the state. It runs much like the Hitler Youth and it's Soviet version. The Komsomol (short for Kommunisticheskiy Soyuz Molodiozhi). This new movement praise President Putin as a hero and leader of the Russian Youth. It teaches extreme nationalism and also an extreme hate of the USA. It teaches Russian Youth how to fight with military weapons, survive a chemical attack, hand to hand combat, physical fitness, and outdoor survival. The Group leaders are called "Commissars". That was the name for a political officer. The Movement's color is red (Color of Communism) and it praises Putin much like how the Komsomol praised Stalin and later the Soviet State.

The Nashi currently roam around Russia much like how the Hitler Youth roamed Germany before WWII. They target those that are for a more open democratic government. Freedom of Speech and those that are against Putin and his growing power. Russian Police turn a blind eye towards them and in some cities, they accept their help.

Putin has taken control of privately owned television stations, news papers, and radio stations. He has suppressed the freedom of speech and the rights of the Russian people. Putin has changed the names of many of the Russian locations. After the fall of the Soviet Union. Many Russian Cities changed their names back to the Pre-Soviet days. Like Stalingrad was renamed to Volgagrad. But Stalingrad is back in general use. The Closed Cities of the Soviet Union are back and so is the internal passport system.

Putin is not going back to the old Soviet Style of Communism but to the Maoist Style of the People's Republic of China. A Communist government with a Capitalist styled economy. Putin has learned from the mistakes of the old Soviet union. But does that mean that a new Soviet union is coming back?
 
Soviet "Union", no. A renewed Russian power, yes. They will never try to assimilate all the little people under its umbrella but they most definitely have returned to their old ways.
 
Absolutely.

The acronyms have changed but Russia has not. There was a slight hiccup during Yeltsin but it faded even before his liver did. Russian people have never known freedom and the responsibility that comes with it and when the hit the inevitable hard times under Yeltsin they blamed democracy and began clamouring for a return to the Soviet system... they received their answer in Putin. He wears designer suits and looks younger, friendlier but he is an ex-KGB chief and slave to the oligarchs who rule Russian with an iron hand. Like I've said before democracy never sticks until it is won with the blood of her own people.
 
The world's just a crazy place isn't it?
I agree this is happening but more so than Russia, China will probably be a far more dangerous of a foe.
The world is always going to be a dangerous place.
 
Now their weaponry has improved and the training of some units has been improved. However the institutionalized problems within Russia's command and control remain. Secondly, their military is composed of two year conscripts rather than volunteers. These two weaknesses are where another conventional enemy (ie China, USA, Norway) would wreak the most havoc.

Though not battle tested the T-95 would be a farsight harder to knock out than the T-72s or T-80's. Also the avionics and weapons systems of MiG and Sukhoi have improved drasticly over the Cold War era components. The material and specialists who operate them (tankers, pilots etc) are better but the centralised C&C remains. Morale problems and embittered division between officers and NCOs and between NCOs and enlisted is at pandemic proportions. The crucifixion of the Russian Army in Chechnya by the politicos abandoning it in the field and making deals with people like Basayev have left a distrust that runs deeper than that of the end game of Vietnam in the US. The Russian military machine is ripe for Psyops.
 
Secondly, their military is composed of two year conscripts rather than volunteers.

Conscripts with low morale due to the bad conditions in camp and bad treatment from the officers. Veterans often use the fresh recruits as punching bag and make their day a living hell. Problems with alcohol, drugs and general unrest is too key problems for their soldiers.

A new Soviet Union? No. A strong Russia? Yes, and certainly a nation sending strong signals to former satellite states with a large number of Russian citizens not to fool around with EU and NATO in particular; a better grip of the North Flank, Barents Sea and the Norwegian Sea making it secure for their submarines and other naval vessels in case of a major operation in parts of eastern and northern Europe.
 
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I didn't say never. But the chances are it'll be this way.
Any war between the US and Russia can turn into a nuclear holocaust and therefore both sides may screw around with each other but at the moment of truth, historically both sides have shown maximum restraint. Putin may not work in our interests but I don't think he's insane enough to start a nuclear holocaust.
Now we can't say the same for whoever the next leaders in line are but again, the price of war would be worldwide destruction of everyone and everything. No side wants that.

Never say never... the sh!t can always hit the fan with those Ruskies.
 
Absolutely.

The acronyms have changed but Russia has not. There was a slight hiccup during Yeltsin but it faded even before his liver did. Russian people have never known freedom and the responsibility that comes with it and when the hit the inevitable hard times under Yeltsin they blamed democracy and began clamouring for a return to the Soviet system... they received their answer in Putin. He wears designer suits and looks younger, friendlier but he is an ex-KGB chief and slave to the oligarchs who rule Russian with an iron hand. Like I've said before democracy never sticks until it is won with the blood of her own people.

I would agree with everything you have said, except of the alleged Putin's "slavery" to the oligarchs. It just the opposite. They are slaves to him and the bureacracy which IS the ruler of Russia. The oligarchs' attemptto rule Russia during the Eltsin's terms have been ended by Putin.
Have you heard about YuKOS?
Naw the same thing is going on around another big oil company - "RussNeft'". It' s owner was going to sell it to another oligarch, but now he is wanted for several "crimes". However, he was able to escape with some money...

Regarding "strong Russia", there is a very strange feeling about it.

This country makes money, almost exclusively, by selling her national resources to the West and then uses these money to buy luxury items, cars, computers, whiskey, etc.
This year alone 7 "Bentley"'s have been stolen in Moscow!

But just 100 miles from Moscow, many people live like 50 years ago, like nothing has happened.

While pushing the mass-media for more anti-western sentimens to feed the population, the Russian elite buys real estate in the Western capitals (London is full of them, Spanish resorts, too).
One of my on-line buddies from Kamchatka has bought himself a condo on Canary islands...
They send their kids to American and British schools and colleges...
 
Fair enough. I took the Yukos and Russneft fiascos as Putin eliminating Gazprom's competitors since he is firmly in bed with them.

The strangeness you note of Russia is also VERY prominent in one of her neighbouring countries to the SE.

But since the Political Forum is closed we should divorce this thread of anything not related to Russia's military. ;)
 
Fair enough. I took the Yukos and Russneft fiascos as Putin eliminating Gazprom's competitors since he is firmly in bed with them.

The strangeness you note of Russia is also VERY prominent in one of her neighbouring countries to the SE.

But since the Political Forum is closed we should divorce this thread of anything not related to Russia's military. ;)

You mean Iran?

Regarding the military, there is a lot of hype, but not much of essence.
They are still finishing up ships and aircraft started in the Soviet era.
However, they have changed the military uniforms several times - this round is being done by the famous Russian designer Yudashkin.

The military reform is anounced to be completed. However, the army is stuck between the hated conscription and the so-called "contract" mode.
It looks like they have taken the worst from both...
 
I'm curious if some people can post some sources on Russia's revitalization. I've no doubt about it myself, but for those who are clueless and/or skeptcial.

I've often asked myself, "When are the Russian people ever going to catch a break and have an era of freedom and prosperity?" The answer is apparently, "Never." The real victim is the Russian people, just as it was during the USSR existence.

There are a couple of dynamics working against them. The nations that were once Soviet provinces account for nearly half the population of the former USSR. Of all of them, only Bellorus is 100% Russia's ***** (and happy to be so). All others, especially the Baltic States, are very anxious to retain their independence. Reconsolidating the USSR to it Cold War Era borders would be quite a task all by itself. I'm not willing to weigh in on whether I beleive they would succeed.
 
Forget Russia, her day in the sun is over. Never again will she be a Superpower. I'd be looking more towards China myself, one of the fastest developing nations on earth and who have the sheer numbers to back the new technology up. Low cost operating conditions, a rapidly improving infrastructure and massive influx of Western FDI and technology make China and to a lesser extent India, the new Superpowers of the 21st Century. China had the sheer numbers before but in the future she will have the modern infrastructure and technology to back them up.
 
China is pretty much without debate.
Right now it's Russia. And it seems like they're going through a massive recovery led by their oil exports. They don't have a shortage of smart people and this oil money could be what could kick off their new revival.
 
There might be a mini-revival but they're never going to return to the halcyon days of the Soviet Empire. They've given too much up, not to mention the fact that their arms industry suffered years of neglect. It seems to me that their main intent these days is taking over British football as much as anything else. :)
 
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