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Jacob Phillips
Mr. Phillips
AP English III
7 December 2015
A Russian Reversion?
In the mid to late 20th century, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, or USSR, was the
sole superpower capable of rivaling, if not exceeding, the military might of the United States.
The Eastern Bloc, composed of Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Turkmenistan, and other Eurasian
countries, created a coalition of economic and strategic forces that numbered largest on the
planet in terms of soldiers, armored vehicles, ordnance systems, and nuclear-level missiles
(Profile for Russia). These countries accomplished incredible feats of engineeringincluding
the first manned space flight and the first fusion reactorbut were ultimately unable to sustain
such a large Communist state in the modern era. Following the dissolution of the USSR, each of
the Republics became pseudo-democratic. However, since then, many have fallen on economic
hardship. Former soviet republics, such as Ukraine, Moldova, and Georgia, are caught between
Russia and the European Union, a problem compounded by poor natural resources and an influx
of poor and illiterate immigrants. Russia itself has become heavily indebted to foreign countries
and is only saved by massive natural gas and oil reserves. Many citizens in modern-day Russia
look back fondly on the USSR, saying, You always had a piece of bread. You always had
work.Now, if you dont have money, you cant do anything (Mydans). In an attempt to save

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the Russian economy, large amounts of government money were spent on oil and gas refineries;
however, this has only gone to narrow economic opportunities in the enormous country.
According to Robert Service, this lack of economic diversity has led to the downfall of Russia as
a superpower. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the
Russian Federation is below average in the fields of subjective well-being, income and wealth,
personal security, environmental quality... and health status (Russian Federation). Essentially,
many former USSR citizens see their current economic and political status as far lower than that
of the glorious days of the Soviet Union. Some citizens see an answer in the past. With this
solution in mind, the invasion of Crimea and continued election of Vladmir Putin show a direct
attempt by the Russian population and ruling class to return to USSR procedures and ideals.
Crimea is a semi-autonomous peninsular region in the south-east of Ukraine. In February
2014, protests and intense nativism allowed Russia to intercede on behalf of the Russianspeaking population there. European Union and Western leaders have supported Ukraine and
condemn Russian actions, threatening and imposing serious economic sanctions on Russia.
Knowing the costs, Russian leaders continued their actions and formally annexed Crimea on
March 18th, 2014 (Russia). While the prime minister of Russia stated that the invasion of
Crimea was to be humanitarian, it resulted in masked Russian forces attacking government
buildings and the stationing of 40,000 Russian troops on the eastern border of Ukraine
(Russia). The combination of military action and lack of humanitarian aid negates the goals put
out by Putin, eliminating the possibility of the invasion being ethnically centered. Realistically,
this is a military invasion of a lesser power; an imperialistic incursion into innocent lands.

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In the USSR, Ukraine played a vital role, both economically and militarily. The fields of
Ukraine were an essential asset to the vast Communist Empire, supplying a large bulk of the
USSRs agricultural goods (Ukraine). A large percent of the USSR was in poor areas for
sustained, industrialized farming, which placed emphasis on Ukraines southern regions, which
produced wheat and other products that nourished the empire. Food from Ukraine was shipped
across the continent, solidifying the intracontinental economy and importance of Ukraine in the
Soviet Union. The peninsula of Crimea posed another important asset to the Soviet Unionfor
centuries, Russia had attempted invasion after invasion to gain a warm water port on the Black
Sea; through the alliances established during the USSR, Russia was able to station the Black
Fleet at a naval base on the Black Sea in the Crimean region, and will continue to do so until
2042 (Russia-Ukraine Conflict). Without Ukraine, the USSR sorely lacked food, trading ability
for food, projection of military power into southern Europe, and naval power over the Black Sea.
Ukraine was an integral part of the USSR. Without the former socialist soviet republic of
Ukraine, Russia cannot attain its prior level of international acclaim, economic success, and
military might. As a declining superpower, Russia is figuratively grasping at the straws, looking
for ways to expand its shrinking power base. The occupation and acquisition of Ukraine could
provide enough new resources, people, and land to stabilize the Russian economic and political
structures, providing a framework for the eventual rise of the country.
World leaders have recognized the importance of Ukraine as a cog of the communist
machine. These leaders have issued statements critical of Russias actions in Ukraine as an effort
to prevent an actual war. Secretary of State John Kerry has said Russia has been working very
hard to create a pretext to invade [Ukraine] (Russia-Ukraine Conflict). President Obama has
encouraged eastern NATO states to increase their level of preparation, and the interim prime

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Minister of Ukraine, Arseniy Yatsenyuk, has claimed The world has not yet forgotten World
War II, but Russia already wants to start World War III (Russia-Ukraine Conflict). The intense
level of denouncement by Western leaders, including a reference to Nazi GermanyWhatever
Russias historical claim, the seizure of Crimea represents the most blatant military land grab that
Europe has seen since 1945 (Pifer et al.) coupled with the importance of Ukraine and the
Crimea region in the establishment of an Eurasian empire proves the direct attempt by Russia to
attempt to become the successor to the USSR. In the face of sanctions, Russia continued to claim
land held formerly by the USSR. In the face of military action by NATO, Russia continued to
smuggle weapons to Crimean separatists. In the face of international condemnation, Russia has
persisted continuing its actions of subjugating Ukraine to become the military and political
power that it once was.
While the invasion of Ukraine may be misconstrued as an action selected solely by the
bureaucracy and elite class of Russia, more liberal leaders must remember that Russia is a
democracy. Since 1992, Vladmir Putin has been overwhelmingly reelected by the popular vote,
most of the time with no major opposition. Since the beginning of his regime, Putins goals have
been clear: to bring modern-day Russia back to its former glory through whatever means
necessary. Putin himself has pushed for major legislation creating the Eurasian Customs Union,
which would gather Russia with other former socialist soviet republics, forming an international
coalition of free trade, a universal visa system, and combined military power (Ward). This Union
bears a serious resemblance to the USSRcreating a combined political, economic, and strategic
bloc of Eurasian states. Internally, Putins actions are even clearer in regards to bringing back
USSR ideals. Domestically, Putin has destroyed aristocrats, media syndicates, oil companies,
oligarchs, giving their power to state-run corporations. A BBC News reporter states that: I think

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it became absolutely clear when Khodorovsky [the wealthiest man in Russia] was arrested, that
Putin was not going after the oligarchs to reassert the power of democratic civil society. He was
doing it as part of building an authoritarian regime (Bullough). While Russia was never entirely
capitalist, Putin has pushed it increasingly socialist by creating state media outlets and state-run
corporations in most industries. Additionally, Putin has recreated the power and prominence of
Soviet symbols. He has rejuvenated the five-pointed star and soviet flag, as well as bringing the
soviet national anthem back into popular usage (Bullough). These actions are far more telling
than the already obvious invasion of Crimea.
Putin has directly and single-handedly revitalized the view of Soviet Russia in
mainstream, modern-day Russia, rewriting a narrative of famine and failure into one of pride and
prosperity. Putin has created a national pride in a scarred past. After all, how could he expect to
revert to USSR ideals and governmental structures without the support of the people that are the
basis of Communism? These actions are clear cut attempts to indoctrinate the population with
communist and socialist ideals, recreating the dogma and propaganda that the USSR was so
famous for. Just as the invasion of Ukraine represents a return to political and strategic parts of
the Soviet Union, the re-election of Putin shows willingness in the Russian people to return to
the social and cultural aspects of the Soviet Union.
Some sources say that the invasion of Crimea was truly an attempt to protect the ethnic
Russians who lived there. However, according to a poll of Ukrainian citizens, the majority of
people nation-wide still believe that Crimea should be a part of Ukraine, and even in the largely
Russian Crimean region, a majoritya smaller majority, but majority nonethelessbelieve in
the continued dominion of Crimea as a part of Ukraine (Ukrainian Views on Crimea's

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Annexation...). Additionally, the pretext of invading or annexing a section of a country to
protect an ethnicity has been used before, most notably and appallingly by the Nazi Germans in
their annexation of Czechoslovakias partially German Sudetenland. These two cases are
surprisingly similara country attempting to build an empire to restore themselves to their
former glory provides an ethnic pretext to use military might in a social struggle. In light of the
current situation, Russias actions pose a serious threat to world-wide peace.
There are multiple possible solutions to avert the continued growth of the new Soviet
Union. The first and most obvious is to continue the sanctions and military preparation until
Russia returns Crimea to its rightful ownersthe Ukrainians. This would prevent the physical
growth while limiting Russian access to food and their naval port on the Black Sea. The second
would be to remove the sanctions limiting the Russian economypossibly, with greater
prosperity could come a greater wave of democracy resulting in greater popularity for capitalism.
This would limit the socialist agenda that is being pushed by Putin, and thus limit the expansion
of the new USSR. Another solution would be increased westernization of Russian citizens.
Through exposure to Western culture, it is possible that a plurality of the old guard of the USSR
would realize the greater individualism and freedom that democracy offers, again limiting the
ability of a new USSR to come into play in any way. These solutions, while seemingly small and
somewhat futile against an empire the size of Russia, need to be adopted quickly. A new USSR
whether that takes the form of an expanded Russia or an Eurasian Customs Unionwould be an
immediate danger not only to NATO border states, but the security of the world as a whole, in
view of the nuclear weapons that new state would hold. Action must be taken now in order to
prevent the rise of a new USSR through Russias actions in Ukraine and Russias peoples
actions in re-electing Vladmir Putin.

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Works Cited
Bayer, Alexei. "Russia Will Shake the World out of Complacency." Kyiv Post. Association of
Fundraising Professionals, 4 May 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
Bullough, Oliver. "Vladimir Putin: The Rebuilding of 'Soviet' Russia - BBC News." BBC News.
Institute of War and Peace Reporting, 28 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
Mydans, Seth. "20 Years After Soviet Fall, Some Look Back Longingly." The New York Times.
The New York Times, 18 Aug. 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
Pifer, Steven, John Herbst, and William Taylor. "Don't forget Crimea." New York Times 9 June
2014. Global Issues In Context. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.
"Profile for Russia." NTI: Nuclear Threat Initiative. James Martin Center for Non-Proliferation
Studies, July 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015.
"Russian Federation." OECD Better Life Index. Sodexo, July 2015. Web. 22 Nov. 2015
"Russia." Global Issues in Context Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2015. Global Issues In
Context. Web. 18 Nov. 2015.
"Russia-Ukraine Conflict." Global Issues in Context Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2015.
Global Issues In Context. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.

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Service, Robert. "Putin's Czarist Folly." New York Times 7 Apr. 2014. Global Issues In Context.
Web. 19 Nov. 2015.
"Ukrainian Views on Crimea's Annexation to Russia by Region 2014." Global Issues in Context
Online Collection. Detroit: Gale. Global Issues In Context. Web. 19 Nov. 2015.
"Ukraine." Global Issues in Context Online Collection. Detroit: Gale, 2015. Global Issues In
Context. Web. 18 Nov. 2015
Ward, Olivia. "Is Vladimir Putin Looking to Revive the Soviet Union? | Toronto Star."
Thestar.com. N.p., 17 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.