Russian strategic culture: Why Russia does things the way it does

Ricochet ^ | April 4, 2022 | Martti J. Kari, former intelligence Colonel in the Finnish Defence Forces; Jon Gabriel, Ed.

[Bruce Campbells Chin]

This was a very interesting, informative article. Thanks for posting.

One thing that struck me was the Russian idea of tenancy versus ownership for the "boyars". That is, that the position you are in entitles you to certain benefits - you can use this dacha, drive this car, etc.. - but you don't actually get to own any of it.

That explains the why the Russian state is so kleptocratic. If you don't get to actually own many of the benefits that come with your position, the only way to gain financial security is to use your position to amass secret, private wealth. The culture institutionalizes theft as the best way of building wealth.

[MercyFlush]

Good article. Goes a long way to address why some of the Russians here on FR are unable to understand why NATO is not a threat to Russia.

[FreedomPoster]

I am glad to see Euros taking care of problems in their back yard. “US involvement” seems to me to largely be “you guys spend the money on it” and “you guys enforce a no-fly zone, since we can’t without you.” I am keen on neither.

[MercyFlush]

“while they continue to do relatively little.”

Slovakia this morning gave Ukraine a fully operational S-300 mobile air defense system sporting brand new Michelin tires as opposed to the crap Chinese tires the Russians use.

Which reminds me, France sent Ukraine a bunch of military grade Michelin tires to use on all that captured Russian equipment that got abandoned due to bad tires.

[Cloverfarm]

Good article. Our in-laws worked in Russia for an extended period and touched on a lot of this.

Also, interesting parallels between Russian-communist culture and our own leftists as far as lies being perfectly strategically necessary, and the party means everything.

[MercyFlush]

>>> “US involvement” seems to me to largely be “you guys spend the money on it” and “you guys enforce a no-fly zone, since we can’t without you.” <<<

Not paying attention to the news much?

“US has 100,000 troops in Europe for first time since 2005”

https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2022-03-15/us-forces-record-high-europe-war-ukraine-5350187.html

[FreedomPoster]

A comment I made early on was that the Russians look West and see a NATO with Germany and France as key members, along with the US. Germany killed millions of Russians in WWI, and many, many millions more in WWII. France burnt Moscow to a crisp.

Beyond that, Russia knows about all the color revolutions the US / CIA has been involved in over the last 20 or so years. They are not stupid when it comes to those kind of ops.

While we do not see NATO as a threat, Russians certainly do, given the history. And this Finnish officer adds more history and dimensions to the Russian paranoia. This does not excuse Russian actions, but it makes them more understandable. They didn’t just “go insane”.

[NorseViking]

Says a guy from a “culture” which couldn’t read unless Stalin forced you to learn it.

[MercyFlush]

Part of the problem the Russians have is that they project their corrupt view of the world onto everyone else.

Meaning that from a Russian point of view that well off people in the West only got that way by stealing from someone else. So when they see a lot of well off people they see a lot of corrupt people.

In microcosm I’ve seen this paradigm in play here in Sacramento. My first encounter with it was a young married Russian lady. She and her husband were trying to buy a house and I knew some folks at Washington Mutual Bank and vouched for the couple so they could get their loan. That’s all.

The husband found out and was a little unhinged thinking I wanted a ‘favor’ from his wife! (Because why else would I help them, right?) Only after their pastor informed them that was was normal in America did I get an apology.

It’s really sad to see people with such an amazing capacity for music, art, and literature view the world with such pessimism.

[x]

The joke about the peasant who wishes for a cow, and the other peasant who wishes that the first peasant’s cow should die says a lot about Russia.

[ought-six]

“Why not send thousands of ruskie soldiers to be killed? There’s plenty more where they came from.”

No, there is not. Today’s Russia is a lot smaller than the old Soviet Union, and it was from those non-Russian states that a large part of the Soviet military might — in terms of manpower — came from. Russia is not reproducing, and it has one of the highest — if not the highest — abortion rates in the world.

[Wuli]

“I am glad to see Euros taking care of problems in their back yard.”

NATO treaty bylaws has NATO decision making by consensus, not “majority” rules. What I hear is right now the lack of Europeans in NATO agreeing to a NATO supplied “no fly zone” is coming from “no” votes by Germany and France, more than the other European NATO members. Biden the non-leader is just following the view of Germany and France. While all kinds of aid to Ukraine is coming from other former Soviet states, like Poland and the Czechs. The U.K. seems to be the largest donor to Ukraine in financial aid. The French and German votes are consistent with their long running mistake that they could “integrate” Putin into Russia not being Russia. But hey, it was Ronald Reagan that long ago warned Germany and Europe about how Russia would use energy supplies as a geopolitical weapon with them, and they didn’t listen then. Now their chickens have come home to roost and they are being hung on their own petard. Another recent report I read talked about the tons of dollars Putin poured into the “green” movments and opinion pieces in western Europe and particularly the “climate change” anti-fossil fuel branches of them.

[ought-six]

Russians have always been insecure and paranoid, because throughout their history they have been oppressed by one tyrant or another. To cite a famous novel, Russians “endure.”

And yet, Russia has produced some of the most accomplished authors and musical composers. But the, that, too, makes sense. Because art has been described as the search for light and beauty in a world of darkness and despair.

[SgtHooper]

You sound as though you know this is nearing an end.

[FreedomPoster]

That’s a great observation.

[SgtHooper]

“If you don’t get to actually own many of the benefits that come with your position, the only way to gain financial security is to use your position to amass secret, private wealth.”

The entire Russian/Soviet system is/was corrupt, top-to-bottom. Those in the upper levels survived well, but still minded their kas and behs. Those below survive/survived by keeping their mouth shut and living within the insurmountable system of corruption. That is the only hope they have. Things were looking so great under Gorby. Then history begins to repeat itself. I have worked with the lower-level survivors, and I have nothing but the utmost respect for them and where and how they try to exist in their horrible system. They were born with the same perception of inalienable rights as us, but quickly HAD to realize that life would be different. They are trapped in a system of intimidation, destruction of livelihood, and ostracism, if lucky. You know, like the rats are attempting to do to us!! “Give your life for the motherland!” BAH!

The trap is they have no way out of the system. The best they can do is to survive and try to make something of their lives within the sorry system. This same trap is just around the corner for us if we do not send these disgusting rats to the trash heap of history.

[kiryandil]

Like Stalin did to Sergei Kirov, when Kirov became "too popular".

That story is really something.

Stalin was a real piece of work.

[Responsibility2nd]

You are correct. I was making an offhand remark, but the truth of the matter is that Russia has been bringing in foreign mercenaries from Syria, Serbia and other nations to increase their military forces.

[kiryandil]

Goes a long way to address why some of the Russians here on FR are unable to understand why NATO is not a threat to Russia.

NATO is a direct threat to Russia.

Calling a dog a cat doesn't make it a cat. These are Western linguistic games.

Alexander Mercouris tells us about it.

Ukraine Asks NATO for Western Weapons as Donbass Military Crisis Deepens [33:43]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPipLZsvdl8

on Odysee:
https://odysee.com/@AlexanderMercouris:a/ukraine-asks-nato-for-western-weapons-as:e

The comedian is asking for NATO heavy weapons, and the neocon NATO globalists are trying to scrounge some up for the Ukrainians.

The good news is that the old Russian "caliber strategy" is paying off.     

[SgtHooper]

When I was preparing for the Soviet Union in the 80’s, the truths about Stalin began to come out, and the Soviet people were devastated! Stalin was ingrained in their minds as the greatest leader and human being EVER! Even some of my counterparts were stunned at the truths about Stalin. In many respects like the rats now, while many know the lies, most do not, and ultimately will never believe or admit they have been duped.