Authors

Marcin Skladanowski¹;  ¹ The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Poland

Discussion

In anti-Western rhetoric, especially after the launch of armed aggression against Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Putin repeatedly accused the West of imperialism and colonialism. In doing so, he renewed a constant element of anti-Western Soviet propaganda, according to which the Soviet Union, pursuing a policy of internationalism and in its internal structure valuing different peoples and cultures, was the antithesis of the expansionist West. Nevertheless, contrary to these declarations, the Soviet Union continued the Russian colonialism of the imperial period. The basis of this colonialism was the recognition of the cultural superiority of the Russian ethnos and the inferiority of other peoples and their cultures. This applied both to the superiority of the Russians vis-à-vis other Rus peoples (Ukrainians and Belarusians) and vis-à-vis non-Slavic peoples, who were subjugated as a result of the military expansion of the Russian Empire. The cultural domination of the Russians and the subsequent Russification of non-Russian peoples also took place in the Soviet Union.
This paper emerges from a critical security studies research perspective. By defining the characteristics of Russian (imperial) and Soviet colonialism, it outlines how it is revived in contemporary Russian national security discourse. The main elements of contemporary Russian colonialism are (1) The recognition of the superiority of Russian culture vis-à-vis the cultures of the peoples who gained or regained independence after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In its radical form, concerning Ukraine, this means the negation of Ukrainian national identity, linguistic and cultural distinctiveness, and even history. (2) The theory of limited sovereignty of the states that emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union (with the exception of the Baltic states). (3) Recognition of the Russian language and culture as a unifying factor of the former Soviet area and inclusion of their protection and promotion in Russian national security and foreign policy strategic documents. (4) Recognition of a non-Russian-centric interpretation of Soviet history, especially World War II, as a threat to Russia's national security. Contemporary Russian neocolonialism, which intensified especially after the launch of armed aggression against Ukraine in 2022, is also confirmed by state propaganda that not only targets Ukraine but also regularly questions the sovereignty of other post-Soviet states, including formal Russian allies such as Armenia and Kazakhstan.
The paper aims to show how Russian neocolonialism has become an important element of Russian foreign and security policy and to what extent it influences Russia's policy towards the states that emerged after the collapse of the USSR.