12/28/22
The war in Ukraine could be the “nail in the coffin” for Russian President Vladimir Putin‘s “empire,” a Moscow-born economist and professor at Indiana University said in a recent interview.
Speaking to Jason Jay Smart of the Kyiv Post in a video discussion, Dr. Michael Alexeev called the war “monstrous” and “a mistake for everybody involved.” He also said that while the war might end up having positive effects for Ukraine “in the long run,” Russia could stand to lose much of its global power.
“The only positive thing that I can think of in terms of this war is that maybe it will finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea of Russian Empire,” Alexeev said. “Maybe finally, it will become a normal country.”
Alexeev said a paper published 20-plus years ago called Russia a normal, middle-income country. He took issue with that characterization.
“Unfortunately, it was wrong,” he said. “It [Russia] is not a normal country. It still has its imperial view, and it’s bad for everybody, including Russia. So I hope that the result of this terrible war will be that maybe Russia will become eventually a normal country.”
The United Nations recently estimated nearly 18,000 civilian casualties in Ukraine as a result of the war, while Ukraine defense officials reported last week that more than 100,000 Russian soldiers have been killed.
For now, peace seems unlikely. A spokesperson for the Kremlin on Wednesday said negotiations for an end to the war cannot proceed unless Ukraine agrees to Russia’s recent annexation of four Ukrainian territories, which Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he strongly opposes.
When Smart asked Alexeev if there was hope for Ukraine to build back after the war, he answered in the affirmative.
“Sure, I think actually…it might be in the long run a good thing for Ukraine in the long run, because this war actually has strengthened the national identity of Ukraine,” he said. “There were people who had some sympathy for Russia, for Putin and all that—no more, as far as I understand.
“Yes, it’s huge amount of distraction, but I am sure that the West is going to help a lot with the construction, rebuilding. Just look at Germany and look at Japan. The countries were destroyed completely in World War II. Now they are some of the most developed, richest countries in the world. And I hope the same thing is going to happen with Ukraine.”
Alexeev said he grew up in Moscow and went to college there before moving to the United States to further his education at Duke University. While his expertise mostly concerns the economies of Russia and the former Soviet Union, Alexeev emphasized that he doesn’t harbor Soviet sympathies. His parents were born in Ukraine, and his mother, Ludmila Alexeeva, was a prominent Soviet dissident who co-founded the Moscow Helsinki Group, a well-known human rights organization.
https://www.newsweek.com/ukraine-war-may-nail-coffin-putins-empire-economist-1770037
“The only positive thing that I can think of in terms of this war is that maybe it will finally put a nail in the coffin of the idea of Russian Empire,” Alexeev said. “Maybe finally, it will become a normal country.”
Not in our lifetimes. And, when was mafia land ever a normal country? It’s always been an imperialistic, suppressive cesspool. It’s going to continue being one even after it’s been reduced to a squealing little pipsqueak country.
“Just look at Germany and look at Japan. The countries were destroyed completely in World War II. Now they are some of the most developed, richest countries in the world. And I hope the same thing is going to happen with Ukraine.”
I am confident that Ukraine will be a modern, powerful and wealthy nation once it has eliminated two of its biggest enemies; mafia land and corruption.
Yes, this war is mafia land’s last nail in its coffin.
This is the video of that interview facts :
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/6197
In terms of US journals, I notice that Newsweek is strongly supportive of Ukraine and produces a high volume of supportive articles.
Unlike the conservative journals, which are all putlerite or indifferent. The only exception is American Spectator, which I think is the sister publication of the venerable UK Spectator.
Do you know of any US conservative magazines/websites that support Ukraine like Newsweek does?
Heritage Foundation is one I know. Im a conservative and care hardly be labeled as as a Trumper or in any way in favor of the cockroach. I think it’s unfair to continue to focus the discussion along political ideologies. Senator Graham is a conservative, last I saw a Trumper and yet you couldn’t find a stringer advocate fir Ukraine in the US Senate. On the other hand you have Sanders, AOC, the entire progressive caucus of the US congress.
Given that freedom from tyranny is key for all true conservatives, it is deeply disappointing that so many conservative sites are distainful of Ukraine.
I’ve never heard of Heritage so can’t comment. But there are shitloads of conservative sites that are even actively hostile to Ukraine. Breitbart for example.
Mr Graham is a Reagan Republican and a man of great integrity. He, Roger Wicker and Mitch McConnell are all good friends of Ukraine and hated by the Trump wing; whose members are easy to identify. Newsweek names them all for posterity. These are the assholes who hate Ukraine:
https://www.newsweek.com/full-list-11-gop-senators-voted-against-ukraine-aid-1707182
https://www.newsweek.com/full-list-57-house-republicans-voted-against-ukraine-aid-1705463
There is no way on earth that Graham will ever back Trump again.
I can find only one Dem that voted against Ukraine aid. Unless you know of more?
The one I found is the hard core communist AOC. Gabbard is a putinoid Dem but she just joined the Trumpers. She appeared on that nazi loving turd Carlson’s show recently, to spew lies and hate.
Seems to me you just gave a hard on for anyone who votes no a bill containing Ukrainian aid. Of the 18 senators who voted on $1.8 TRILLION budget, only two said they didn’t want Ukrainian funding. The remainder had an issue with the size and scope of the budget and absolutely nothing to do with Ukrainian aid. So with all due respect I think you should knock off taking crap out of context and smearing it on a wall. It does no good for anyone and all you’re doing is giving fodder to the cockroaches. It’s not a conservative thing period full stop.
Granny puts in all in perspective. lol
That was a great show!
I gave you nothing but factual information. You respond with pig-ignorant and disgusting insults.
The first list is from May and contains well known Ukraine haters, including Rand Paul, who was outed years ago by John McCain as a Russian agent. It also has Josh Hawley, who even you must know is putinoid scum.
The second list is also from May and contains the hate-spewing liars Taylor-Greene and and Matt Gaetz; both of whom smirked, played with their phones and refused to join in the applause for Zel in DC.
You chose to insult me instead of those vermin.
I won’t be interacting with you again.
I am sorry if you feel offended Sur Scragel. That certainly wasn’t my intent. Suffice to say I simply disagree with your analysis. It’s that simple
I’m still waiting for him to criticize the hard US left for demanding Ukraine cede territory in exchange for less killing of Ukrainians. Sir Scradge is brilliant on every subject but this one, hopefully he can find time and energy to criticize all of Ukraine’s enemies and not just the Conservatives. Personally I’m more offended by politicians demanding Ukraine give up territory than a few verbs or votes in support of “not giving Ukraine a blank check.” Ukraine doesn’t want a blank check so everyone agrees imo.
I’m with you, Cap. I won’t let a few rotten apples ruin the entire barrel of conservatives. There is a majority of us who support Ukraine.
Only the Wall Street Journal and Newsmax come to mind, Scradge.
Given that no greater priority for a conservative is freedom from tyranny, it is piss poor that so many of their media are putler-friendly.
I’m afraid Newsmax is not a good friend of Ukraine facts. Benny Johnson; their star presenter, called Zel a “piece of shit.” Worse: a regular guest on that network is Michael Savage, one of a trio of Ukraine-hating Russians working in US media who masquerade as patriotic Americans. (The other two are Dmitry Simes and Rebbekah Koffler).
They’ve had positive things to say about Ukraine, too. We can compare it to Fox, which also swings both ways. Having said that, the many other conservative news providers are in the biggest majority too small and obscure to be of any importance.
Yes I have seen Ukraine-friendly articles in Newsmax facts. I even posted one or two. But anyone who employs Savage is a friend of putler.
Fox is worse because it is way bigger. Why do the Murdoch family continue to employ Laura Ingraham and Tucker Carlson?
The answer is that they must generate good ad review. Which means that the Murdochs care only about profit. But I think it’s more sinister even than that. Carlson is no different and no less genocidal than Solovyov. Therefore I would conclude that the Murdochs are actually backing putler to win.