Two days in St. Petersburg and speaking with a small sample of Russian citizens (who know English) has led me to a few conclusions. Russians love Putin (as the polls suggest) and are pleased that he has made the nation a powerful presence again in world affairs. They agree with his grabbing of the Crimea as they believe it is really Russian territory and should have never been given to the Ukraine in the first place. Russians also view support of the Russian-speaking separatists in the Ukraine as necessary no matter what the rest of the world thinks. They don’t see a greater war developing, though they seem unaware of the build-up of Russian forces near the Ukrainian border.
Russians understand that Yanokovych, the deposed Ukrainian president thrown out by the Ukrainian people but backed by Russia, was corrupt, but claim that the new president, Poroshenko, backed by the West, is also corrupt. The Russian populace seems to know little (or at least are unwilling to talk) about the oligarchs who are associates of Putin in Russia and the ways in which they have accumulated their wealth. It appears that the “party line” put out by the Russian media controlled by Putin is followed by Russian citizens who are also suspicious of the West and its supposed ideals.
American foreign policy is seen as being hostile and aggressive towards the Russians with the eastward expansion of NATO into states bordering Russia that were once part of the Soviet Union or under Russian dominion- the Baltic nations, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland in particular. The Russians feel they are being surrounded by NATO and the United States is responsible, taking advantage of Russia in a period when it was weak. But Putin has made Russia strong again, feared and respected around the world.
However, paranoia persists in Russia, in spite of its supposed elevation into the world’s power elite. Aside from its suspicion of American intentions, visitors are monitored carefully, denied the free access available to tourists in E.U. countries. We were traveling on a cruise ship and every time we got on or off in St. Petersburg, we had to go through security to have our passports and temporary visas checked. This sometimes entailed a wait of thirty to forty minutes, as dour officers scanned their computers, inspected our papers, stamped them and gave the okay. Russia is supposedly in need of foreign currency but certainly is doing nothing to make the process of visiting their nation a pleasant experience. Tourist friendly, they’re not. Were they afraid of a bunch of older people sabotaging St. Petersburg, or possible espionage?e sanctions imposed upon Russia, and Putin’s reaction excluding agricultural products from the E.U, is not having much of an effect yet on the Russian people according to those we spoke with. They said prices for a number of things were more expensive, but everything needed for their usual lifestyles was apparently available, and life was fairly normal.
So what is the next step for America and the West if Putin continues his aggressive activities in Ukraine and grabs more land, while denying that Russian soldiers or armaments are involved? What if he takes over Mariopol, an important port on the Black Sea. Will NATO fight back in some fashion or impose harsher sanctions. And what if Putin stirs up trouble among the Russian-speaking citizens of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania? It seems as if Putin is holding all the high cards, with the action adjacent to Russia and the Russian people behind him.
There is universal military conscription in Russia and we watched as conscripts ran in formation along the Neva River with their shirts off, training for whatever awaits the nation. All this with an economic output about the same as South Korea’s though the Russian population is three times larger. But there are the atomic weapons to consider and the military strength of Russia, notwithstanding its GDP. And the citizens stand behind Putin and applaud his actions.
On the other hand, NATO countries in Europe have not met their obligations in terms of defense spending and their military forces are weak and unprepared, lacking the most modern equipment. They seem reluctant to confront the unpredictable Russian bear. Will the defense of European territory be left by default to the United States again?
Resurrecting Democracy
Political junkie, Vietnam vet, neurologist- three books on aging and dementia. Book on health care reform in 2009- Shock Therapy for the American Health Care System. Book on the need for a centrist third party- Resurrecting Democracy- A Citizen’s Call for a Centrist Third Party published in 2011. Aging Wisely, published in August 2014 by Rowman and Littlefield. Latest book- The Uninformed Voter published May 2020