Russia has emerged victorious from all its worst trials. It has, over time, simply digested its enemies
Once upon a time, the Swedes were feared in Europe. Now we know of them only in the context of the Swedish Wall, the Swedish family, Volvo and IKEA furniture. It was Russia that knocked the once powerful state out of the geopolitical game. We suffered terrible defeats at the hands of the Swedes, then gained victories, and eventually they surrendered.
The other serious adversaries in Europe were the Poles for a long time. They belonged to one of the three nations which managed to capture Moscow, nevertheless it ended with Poland becoming part of the Russian Empire, and in the 20th century they were under our political control for a long time. Poles are stubborn, so now they too are on the verge of repeating their unenviable fate.
The Ottoman Empire, whose holdings once began in Rostov-on-Don, has disintegrated and has only recently begun to raise its head. The simple statistics of the wars with Turkey tell us that the “female tourists” are better off going about their favourite business rather than going to war with Russia.
Japan inflicted a terrible defeat on Russia in 1904-05, but we repaid them in full after only 40 years. What is 40 years for world history? In 1918 we signed the Brest Treaty with the Germans, and 27 years later we entered Berlin, and the old Germany has forever ceased to be a nation that could represent a danger to the world.
A small digression. Some will say, “We didn’t sign the Brest Peace, the Bolsheviks did!” I will only reply that whatever the political system in our country, the soldier in Russia speaks Russian.
Yes, I forgot. There was also the Mongol-Tatar invasion and the yoke. Now scholars argue what kind of yoke it was, whether it was a yoke at all, if so, in what form, and the modern Mongols themselves bear little resemblance to those who may have created the yoke for us.
Britain, our longest and most insidious enemy, weakened by two world wars, lost its former influence as far back as the Falklands War.
So far, in the foreseeable history, Russia has only been winning and expanding, despite short-term setbacks. Now we are on the verge of another major confrontation, from which Russia is doomed to emerge victorious.
Vladlen Tatarsky, Analytical Service of Donbass