NationStates Jolt Archive

Recently, as I saw news highlights on the internet, I've noticed a little trend with the news on Russia.
For starters, I saw this (http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-12-23-russia-activists_x.htm?csp=24), which basically says that the Russian parliament allowed the government to control activists groups that oppose the Kremlin in any way. Definetely not good for a country struggling with democracy.
Then, as if in response to this,this guy (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/27/AR2005122700456.html) comes out and says that the country is no longer democratic. The article goes on about how state-controlled businesses were being given unfair bidding to private energy companies.
After this though, comes the cutoff of natural gas to the Ukraine (1 (http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2006-01-01-russia-gas_x.htm?csp=24) 2 (http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2006-01-01-russia-gas_x.htm?csp=26)) which basically ended in the Ukraine getting fucked ($230 per cubic meter, exactly what Russia wanted) and just showing how dependent Europe has become on Russia's resources.

All of this goes with a leader who is a former communist. In fact, he was in the KGB, and is proud to say that he is a 'chekist'. The FSB (modern KGB) can still open mail and tap phone lines without court order.

So, I guess what I have been going at is, could Russia become, if not Communist, then at least a repressive state again?

And while my account is new, I am not new to Nations States, or the Forum.

So, I guess what I have been going at is, could Russia become, if not Communist, then at least a repressive state again?
To a certain extent, it already is a repressive state. It also has chances of becoming even more repressive. But I really don't think it will turn Communist again. At most something China-like (but China is no longer Communist).

I'm not sure Russia ever became a open, representative nation, even after the collapse of the USSR.

I'm not sure Russia ever became a open, representative nation, even after the collapse of the USSR.

The collapse was handled so shittily that even now the people of Russia yearn to have back their repressive yet strong country. The fact that millions died in Gulags, and millions more were scarred by them, does not deter their love of the Soviet Union.

Maybe if the US had helped them, they wouldn't be so fucked right now.

Recently, as I saw news highlights on the internet, I've noticed a little trend with the news on Russia.
For starters, I saw this (http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-12-23-russia-activists_x.htm?csp=24), which basically says that the Russian parliament allowed the government to control activists groups that oppose the Kremlin in any way. Definetely not good for a country struggling with democracy.
Then, as if in response to this,this guy (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/27/AR2005122700456.html) comes out and says that the country is no longer democratic. The article goes on about how state-controlled businesses were being given unfair bidding to private energy companies.
After this though, comes the cutoff of natural gas to the Ukraine (1 (http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2006-01-01-russia-gas_x.htm?csp=24) 2 (http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2006-01-01-russia-gas_x.htm?csp=26)) which basically ended in the Ukraine getting fucked ($230 per cubic meter, exactly what Russia wanted) and just showing how dependent Europe has become on Russia's resources.

All of this goes with a leader who is a former communist. In fact, he was in the KGB, and is proud to say that he is a 'chekist'. The FSB (modern KGB) can still open mail and tap phone lines without court order.

So, I guess what I have been going at is, could Russia become, if not Communist, then at least a repressive state again?

And while my account is new, I am not new to Nations States, or the Forum.
I don't think so. While Putin is turning Russia back to dictatorship I don't think he's trying to make Russia communist. Ok he has attacked privately own companies but let's face it. Those owners were scum. Mafia. What ever you want to call it. He wants to make sure that the money (profit) stays in Russia. He wants to keep Americans (American ownership) out. His methods are certainly questionable and worrying but IMO Russia is still moving towards capitalism all the time.

Btw, the gas dispute has been solved and Ukraine has to pay only little more than it used to, No where near 230$

The collapse was handled so shittily that even now the people of Russia yearn to have back their repressive yet strong country. The fact that millions died in Gulags, and millions more were scarred by them, does not deter their love of the Soviet Union.

Maybe if the US had helped them, they wouldn't be so fucked right now.
Wrong. Russians do remember the gulags. The poor are poorer than they used to be and some of them miss the old system but middleclass is much richer than it has ever been and boy, don't they just love it! That's why Putin is so popular, even with his antidemocratic decicion (and the fact that Russians have always wanted "a strong leader")

Or if you don't believe me, just ask any Russian who managed to get out of Soviet Union. Or Estonian, or Latvian...the list goes on.

I don't think so. While Putin is turning Russia back to dictatorship I don't think he's trying to make Russia communist. Ok he has attacked privately own companies but let's face it. Those owners were scum. Mafia. What ever you want to call it. He wants to make sure that the money (profit) stays in Russia. He wants to keep Americans (American ownership) out. His methods are certainly questionable and worrying but IMO Russia is still moving towards capitalism all the time.

Btw, the gas dispute has been solved and Ukraine has to pay only little more than it used to, No where near 230$
I was quite honestly amazed that the Russia-Ukraine dispute got solved so quickly, and even more amazed that Kiev has managed to get Moscow to agree to 90 USD for their gas. Quite impressive. I actually think that Ukraine came out of this quite well, certainly a lot better than I had expected.

Wrong. Russians do remember the gulags. The poor are poorer than they used to be and some of them miss the old system but middleclass is much richer than it has ever been and boy, don't they just love it! That's why Putin is so popular, even with his antidemocratic decicion (and the fact that Russians have always wanted "a strong leader")
Putin also controls almost all the media, which helps him control the population. The broadcast media in particular is now very one sided pro-Putin.

Thanks partly to this, there's certainly no signs of programmes on Russian TV being interupted by Swan Lake any time soon...

I was quite honestly amazed that the Russia-Ukraine dispute got solved so quickly, and even more amazed that Kiev has managed to get Moscow to agree to 90 USD for their gas. Quite impressive. I actually think that Ukraine came out of this quite well, certainly a lot better than I had expected.
90USD? Ok, I didn't want to write it because I didn't rememver tha exact price. Only that it was between 80 and 120. I'm not surprised of the speed but just like you, I thought that the price would have been higher, somewhere around 150-180 or so.

I guess Putin was worried about EU's comments as Russia takes over the G8 presidency.

Putin also controls almost all the media, which helps him control the population. The broadcast media in particular is now very one sided pro-Putin.

Thanks partly to this, there's certainly no signs of programmes on Russian TV being interupted by Swan Lake any time soon...
Very true and IMO the most worrying sign. I thought that Russians would try to oppose at least that decicion but no. Only very few resisted.

90USD? Ok, I didn't want to write it because I didn't rememver tha exact price. Only that it was between 80 and 120. I'm not surprised of the speed but just like you, I thought that the price would have been higher, somewhere around 150-180 or so.

I guess Putin was worried about EU's comments as Russia takes over the G8 presidency.
Yes, it's really good from Kiev's point of view. I think you must be right, Russia got scared when the EU started saying it would have to seriously look at ways of ensuring it was less dependent on Russian gas. I guess that set off economic alarm bells in Moscow.

I thought it would end due to the EU pressure though, but I thought it would take a good week longer than it did, and like you, I guessed they would pay much higher, like the amounts you state.

I wonder if the Moldovans got this deal as well? Haven't heard anything about them.

Maybe if the US had helped them, they wouldn't be so fucked right now.

Where have you been for the last 15 years? The US and the rest of the west have given billions of dollars in aid to Russia since 1991.

Here's (http://www.cato.org/pubs/pas/pa338.pdf) a nice little analysis of how and why those billions failed to do anthing.

Moldovans?
Is that an imaginary nation?

:D

Haven't heard about their situation either.

Moldovans?
Is that an imaginary nation?

:D
Ha ha, I think you might be right!!

I was just reading, according to Dagens Nyheter, Ukraine will pay 95USD for Russian gas... but, even better for them, they are going to get a 47% better deal than before for payments FROM Russia for transit of the gas that goes to the rest of Europe via Ukraine's gas pipes. How odd... nice one Kiev!