Russia has been involved in genocidal imperialism even before putin (Moldova, Chechnya, Georgia, mercantile involvement in Nagorno Karabakh - all this happened in the 90s).

In the 90s, TV stations were openly critical of the government, yet putin was elected again in 2004 even though he shut down much of the mass market independent press.

Since ~2010, most major European news agencies (DW, BBC) launched russian language YT services. The rise of smartphones and lack of YT censorship meant that almost everyone had access to independent news in a few clicks. They could even access local independent-leaning news services (TV Dozhd also launched their YT channel around ~2010).

Russian genocidal imperialism and authoritarianism is a direct product of the choices russians make. There is nothing inherent to the russian population/culture that stops them from showing humanity. They just don't want to.

They need to realize that they hold responsibility for their actions and that no one is buying their victimhood polemics.

[–] chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Russia’s been an imperialist culture for centuries. They’ve never gotten over it.

[–] Quill7513@slrpnk.net 8 points 1 week ago

there has always been a weird looking man in moscow torturing the people into believing better things aren't possible and that this is how every country is. as an american, i am watching that torture get normalized here. i have seen how little it takes to break someone, and how much it takes to break someone out. none of this is meant to infantalize or defend the russian people. they need to wake up. but they can't wake themselves up, and we don't have the leverage to deprogram them. focus for now on deprogramming the people you can. it takes work, but it's worth doing. if there is to be any hope of resisting russian terror it must not be allowed to spread. once we staunch the bleeding outside russia we can start talking about deprogramming them.

like. i really feel like i sound more on russia's side in this conversation than i mean to but i've seen what russia does to children first hand. i knew someone that it took 10 years of deprogramming to get out of that mindset. she was not born a killer, but she would have been made one. and it took 10 entire years to undo the damage that had been done in 2.