Notes from the House of the Dead

When the Russian invasion of Ukraine started, Dostoevsky was banned from an Italian university. Plenty of Russian athletes and artists were also refused in the West, expressing the strong resentment of the civilized West against the barbaric East. We should read Dostoevsky instead of prohibiting him and learn more about the Russians. Greater openness is needed, and it is surprising to experience how quickly russophobia took over the West.

Especially on the influence of the Baltic states and Poland, countries with undeniable bad historical experiences with the Russians, the EU considerably reduced the chance for Russian citizens to enter its territory. The criminalization of all Russians is going on, resulting in the total isolation of the country. Russia will turn a closed lager again, but the West forgets that this is a kind of historical normality for them, so, in these conditions, it is naive to believe that Russians will revolt against their natural state. Isolating Russia will produce the opposite outcome: Russians will line up behind their leader.

Understanding not pretty much about Russia, with the collapse of the USSR, the West went in the wrong direction. Instead of using the rare historical moment to turn the Russians into their collaborating partner, the West was only concerned to establish capitalism in Russia.
Here we are again! A strong autocracy took over in Russia, and the narrative of the nuclear war is back as in the darkest days of the cold war. Many in the West are contentedly pointing out the panic of president Putin who they think is cornered. I doubt that's the case, yet nothing is more worrying than cornering someone equipped with thousands of nuclear warheads, so there is no reason for any triumphant mode. The West must replan its strategy otherwise will fall into the trap set by its own, finally. The best way: instead combat, read Russian literature!

MKZ