Putin's steering wheel was made by other people

When did modern Russia become authoritarian?

To seek those responsible for this war, using the dichotomy "Putin - Russians" is incorrect. 

Yes, Putin stopped playing with "hybridity" and switched to the "classics" - this applies to both the war and the regime in general. However, to attribute modern Russia authoritarianism to Putin alone is a mistake. Because even though he has been behind the steering wheel for the last twenty years, the car was constructed by other people much earlier.

“The car has lost control and is speeding into the abyss. Russia has already lost, the only question remaining is when Kremlin and every Russian household acknowledge this defeat”

But these are the consequences of unfortunate turns that changed everything. If Yeltsin had lost in 1993, if he had not appointed Putin as his successor, if all the oil money had not fallen on him – everything could have been different. The indifference of Russian mentality, the economic structure and other things that formed a historical chain of events resulted in the current state of affairs. At the first turning point (1993-1994), Russia went from democracy to authoritarianism, at the second one (2000-2003) they chose archaic despotism over modernization despotism.

But there is no time for the third turn. The car has already lost control and is speeding into the abyss. Russia has already lost, the only question remaining is when the Kremlin and every Russian household acknowledge this defeat.

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About the author: Serhiy Hromenko, journalist, security expert

The editors do not always share the opinions expressed by the blog authors.