In his 2005 state of the nation address, Russian President Vladimir Putin bewailed the collapse of the Soviet Union as the “greatest geopolitical catastrophe” of the 20th century.
It was a significant revelation, and one worth considering in the wake of Putin’s recent reelection as Russia’s president. Putin’s lament of the collapsed ussr provides an invaluable glimpse into the mind of the man who runs Russia, it lies at the core of current international relations, and it gives much-needed clarity and simplicity to the sometimes confusing and contradictory movements of Russia.
