“Russia is at a turning point – we should not underestimate it”

Russian President Vladimir Putin has invaded Ukraine with his army. He keeps talking about waging a war against the West. Just today his confidant, ex-President Dmitry Medvedev, said that Poland would soon no longer exist.

For the American political scientist Andrew A. Michta, all of this shows: “Russia is at a historical turning point.” The country is turning away from the West and is committing a “de-Westernization”. According to Michta, the Russian elite wants to go back to its pre-European roots.

“I think we still underestimate this civilizational shift in Russia,” he said on Twitter. “The current wave of Russian nationalism and imperialism seeks to portray the current war as a rebirth of a Russia free from Western influences.”

“Putin wants victory in the clash of cultures against the West”

According to Michta, Russia wants to return to an era before its modernization. The closer ties to China must also be seen in this context. It is a by-product of the seething nationalism in Russia that has been evident for decades.

The nationalists argue that Russia’s culture is unique and Western influences only poison it, Michta said. The political scientist concludes his remarks: “Putin not only wants to defeat Ukraine, he wants victory in the clash of cultures against the West. We should finally recognize that.”