Part of Russia's justification for wresting control of South Ossetia from Georgia is that many of the region's residents hold Russian passports. The Kremlin was therefore - so it claims - protecting its citizens from Georgian aggression.

 

That line sends ripples of alarm throughout the former Soviet Union, where many states that became independent in 1991 took sizable Russian populations with them. Ukraine, Latvia, Estonia, Moldova and Kazakhstan, for example, have much to fear if the Kremlin sees their hosting of a Russian diaspora as a licence to ignore their borders.

 

The problem is not just one of nationality. Russianness is an elastic concept, covering millions who speak Russian as their first language but who, in the Soviet era, were classified as Belarussians, Ukrainians, Jews or Ossetians. To make matters worse, many of the areas where Russians or Russian-speakers predominate are the subject of territorial disputes that pre-date even the USSR.

 

Officially, 17.3 per cent of people living in Ukraine are ethnic Russians (around 8 million people). But more have Russian as a first language and they are concentrated in the east of the country, which nationalists in Moscow argue is culturally indivisible from the old Slavic motherland. Ukrainian nationalists vehemently disagree. The same goes for Belarus (official Russian population: 11.4 per cent, around 1 million people).

 

But the greatest tensions are in two of the Baltic States: Latvia (29.6 per cent Russian) and Estonia (25.6 per cent Russian). Although they formed part of the Russian empire in the 19th century, the Balts broke away when the Soviet Union was formed and were only forcibly reassimilated during the Second World War. Stalin then waged a brutal demographic war, shipping ethnic Latvians and Estonians to Siberia, and settling Russians in their place.

 

When they regained independence, Latvia and Estonia didn't give citizenship to many of their resident Russians, whom they saw as the remnants of an occupying force. Moscow continues to agitate on behalf of them, which the Balts see as flagrant imperialism. Last year rioting broke out in Tallinn between Estonians and Russians over a decision to take down a Soviet-era war memorial.

 

Where the allegiance of the millions of Russians spread throughout the former USSR lies isn't known. But it is clear that the Kremlin sees itself as their rightful protector. Or rather, it sees strategic advantage in laying claim to that status.

 

Source: The Observer

 

Is Russia running a protection racket style of foreign policy? Toe the line, play lip service or we will shoot your kneecaps?

It's good old fashioned Imperialism by the back door, and people like Arrs are apologists for it, which frankly makes me vomit.... This is exactly the same sort of principle as America's policy of protecting its armed forces from prosecution in certain countries.. I mean those Yank fukkers who totured prisoners in Abu Ghraib SHOULD have stood trial in and IRAQI court - they committed their crimes in Iraq and on Iraqi civilians - not the relatively nice, cosy sheltered US armed forces court martial....

 

"Ethnic Russians" who CHOOSE to live in the sovereign territories Ukraine, Georgia, etc should shut the hell up and RESPECT the laws and cultures of those countries and stop agitating, stop forming militias to destabilise these states... I have no sympathy for them because they are the ones causing the trouble and then wonder why it is that they get "badly" treated... I'm sorry, but if you want to be "russian" so badly fukk off back to Russia.... These people are as bad as the fukkin' British and French Colonialists in places like Africa and India....

 

So, Russia sees itself as "protectorate" of its people yeah... Well, I guess that means that with the sizeable ethnic Russian communities in London and New York (places such as "Little Odessa" for example), then we could potentially be seeing Russian soldiers entering US and UK sovereign territory yeah....? Oh, I'd just LOVE to see that one happen..... :lol: :lol: