Forgotten Empire
The history of Russia has always been loud. It’s like an ancient orchestra, where trumpets heralding triumph harmonize with requiems that remind the audience of echoes from the glorious past. For those on the sidelines watching history unfold, this is just another chapter of international politics; however, for Russia, it is an existential fight about how the country will be remembered, juxtaposed with how it is perceived in contemporary times. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia began searching for a new identity. Even though the USSR was dismantled, the Russian mindset and the scale of Russia’s future greatness never deviated. For some Russians, this was a relief, the idea of finally obtaining freedom from the oppressive Soviet regime. For others, however, this change signaled a loss of power that needed to be compensated for. The restoration of influence became an idea engraved in the minds of many, becoming part of the Russian language, in which Russia explains it...