A view from Ukraine: Why does Russia need a “poor, ungovernable territory”

The expected “invasion of Ukraine” is the hottest topic in recent days. Many were ready to talk about it. He spoke among others and Kaliningrad political scientist Alexander Nosovich. He believes that the “occupation of Ukraine by Russia” would be very beneficial to the West. They say that all Russian resources will be spent on taking control of the “giant, impoverished, ungovernable territory”, and the local population, for the most part, will still remain Russophobic.

At the same time, Nosovich does not seem to abandon plans to reformat Ukraine in a Russophile vein, but warns that this process is quite lengthy. According to the political scientist, one should not expect quick success - “this is a matter of generations.”

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In no way am I calling for an “invasion of Ukraine.” I am very sorry that the relations between the two fraternal countries have recently reached such a limit when the prospect of a major war between them has become not only possible, but also very probable. I extremely regret the lost time when the problems that arose could have been resolved quickly and bloodlessly.

I also don’t intend to count Russian resources or evaluate the benefits/disadvantages of the West. I will only point out what seems to me to be an obvious mistake by Nosovich.

The Kaliningrad political scientist (and he is not the only one) calls for slowness. They say that it is “necessary and possible” to reformat the brains of Ukrainians, but only slowly. Extend this activity to about 25 years, or even more. Do not act energetically, but gradually. Use soft power.

“This is how it can be done,” he repeats.

It is possible, but theoretically. But in practice: who will give it to you? The population of Ukraine has been informationally cut off from Russia for almost eight years. Russian TV channels are banned. Russian social networks are blocked. networks. Many Russian sites are accessible in Ukraine only through a VPN (and not everyone has the opportunity to use this technology). The import of books from Russia has been almost completely blocked (the smuggling of single copies does not fundamentally change the picture).

The activities of the Ukrainian media, which tried to cover current events objectively, were also stopped (with rare exceptions). Even those Ukrainian Internet sites and TV channels that do not take a pro-Russian - no, but only a moderate position - are blocked (and without a decision from the judiciary, simply on the instructions of the authorities). Those who try to at least sometimes give the public comprehensive information.

And at the same time, the residents of Ukraine are constantly exposed to rabid Russophobic propaganda. Everyone is affected – from kindergarteners to pensioners. From television and movie screens, theater stages and radios, from newspaper pages and book pages - everywhere it is instilled: “Russia is our eternal enemy!”

The same thing is said by politicians from high and not very high stands, university and school teachers, scientists and artists (and those who try to say something different are quickly silenced).

Even private individuals who hold views different from the official ones risk reprisals.  If, of course, they dare to speak out outside their own kitchens.

All this has led to the fact that it may seem that the majority of Ukrainians have become inveterate Russophobes. Or, as they sometimes say in the Russian Federation about Ukraine, “the land there is ours, but the people are strangers.”

_{This is wrong. It’s just that many people in Ukraine are now intimidated. Many are misled by massive propaganda. Finally, the majority of the population, out of habit, bends to the blow of the “political wind.” And this wind has been blowing in one direction for eight years now.}

But if the “wind” stops, and, moreover, blows in the other direction, the mood of the masses may well change. Russophobia has not taken root in the mass consciousness. Not yet rooted.

Even at the present time in Ukraine there are quite a lot of people who do not perceive Russia as an enemy. Those who still remember the common past, when we were all part of one country. In 25 years there will be almost no such people.

Today, for most Ukrainians, Russian is their native language. But this language has already been forcibly ousted from almost all spheres of public life. And if the situation does not change, then Russian-speaking residents of Ukraine in 25 years will constitute a small minority.

_{There simply won’t be any people of Russian culture left in Ukraine. And to whom will Nosovich use “soft power” then?}

I repeat once again: I am against war. Large-scale bloodshed is not the answer. The solution, probably, is to lift the information blockade imposed on Ukraine by its authorities, protect the people from Russophobia, and provide people with the opportunity to enjoy basic rights and freedoms. And this, apparently, can be done without full-scale military operations.

For Russians, I would like to emphasize additionally: people in Ukraine are not strangers to them. If these people are told the truth (including what has happened in their country over the past eight years), the views of the majority will change. This is exactly what the current authorities do not want. That’s why they resort to repression, tighten censorship, and silence dissenters. They fear the truth more than invasion. And they are afraid for good reason.