So how many former Soviet countries does Russia now possess? The Crimea?
I ask because I have not seen this massive onslaught against former Soviet countries. I have seen plenty try to join NATO, however.
I am, frankly, at a loss. I believe NATO was dead when East Germany was admitted. NATO is useless against China. Russia was selling energy to a Europe hungry for it, and at prices that America was largely dictating. NATO seemed to want an end to peaceful commerce.
That is how I see it, anyway.
They pretty much control Belarus. The former Soviet ‘stans are also generally on board with Mother Russia. Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan. An equal list might be Soviet member states that aren’t under Moscow’s influence or control. Armenia, Estonia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova.
Notice I didn’t put Ukraine on either list. It (and to be fair, Belarus) was recognized to be independent of the Soviet Union by the United Nations and had seats in that body - giving the Soviet Union 3 votes).
And the post World War II Ukraine excluded the Crimea - it was part of Russia until it was given away in February, 1954 (in violation of the Soviet Constitution). And Sevastopol didn’t pass to the Ukraine until 1978.