Interesting history piece, but clearly a big mixup with on one hand an entity called "Russia", that apparently fears the West, which is not true at all, the average Russian is well informed of the West and particularly the US being a lot more focussed on rising China. On the other hand there was indeed a real worry that the economic and political freedom of the West was an existential threat, but only to the kleptocratic rulers, that somehow in this article are named..."Russia"...

Needs a 2015 in title

We're already in WW3.

But just as WW2 started in 1937 but didn't really kick off until 1941, the main bouts of this one, The West vs the BRICS, won't be for another few months yet. (Say end 2024, beginning of 2025)

Let's not jynx things.

I would ask Putin, or anyone in such a position, would you throw away the lives of Russians living abroad, or people whose flesh and blood contains traces of Russian soil, to win a war? Wealth, power, control... you can't take them with you. Who will visit Russia and appreciate it's history and perspective when there are no others? The science and philosophy of all so-called nations have achieved so much in so little time. Is it really foolish to think that wars must be perpetually faught to aid progress and provide meaning and context to our individual and collective lives? Look out into the cosmos and tell me there isn't more greatness to achieve by settling (or celebrating) differences, putting our affairs in order, and seeing what humanity is truly made of. But, yknow, I'm just one dumb fellow with an internet connection. What do I know?