Serhii Plokhy

Very often people confuse three different processes that were taking place in the late 80s and early 90s. And the one was the collapse of communism as ideology. Another was the end of the Cold War. And the third one was the end of the Soviet Union. All of these processes were interrelated, interconnected.

Very often people confuse three different processes that were taking place in the late 80s and early 90s. And the one was the collapse of communism as ideology. Another was the end of the Cold War. And the third one was the end of the Soviet Union. All of these processes were interrelated, interconnected.

Very often people confuse three different processes that were taking place in the late 80s and early 90s. And the one was the collapse of communism as ideology. Another was the end of the Cold War. And the third one was the end of the Soviet Union. All of these processes were interrelated, interconnected.

But when people provide ideology as the explanation for all of these processes, that's where I disagree. Because ideological collapse happened on the territory of the Soviet Union in general. Soviet Union lost the Cold War, whether we are talking about Moscow, Leningrad, or St. Petersburg now, or Vladivostok. But the fall of the Soviet Union is about a story in which Vladivostok and St.

But when people provide ideology as the explanation for all of these processes, that's where I disagree. Because ideological collapse happened on the territory of the Soviet Union in general. Soviet Union lost the Cold War, whether we are talking about Moscow, Leningrad, or St. Petersburg now, or Vladivostok. But the fall of the Soviet Union is about a story in which Vladivostok and St.

But when people provide ideology as the explanation for all of these processes, that's where I disagree. Because ideological collapse happened on the territory of the Soviet Union in general. Soviet Union lost the Cold War, whether we are talking about Moscow, Leningrad, or St. Petersburg now, or Vladivostok. But the fall of the Soviet Union is about a story in which Vladivostok and St.

Petersburg ended up in one country, and Kyiv, Minsk, and Dushanbe ended in different countries. So the theories and explanations about how did that happen, for me, these are really very helpful theories for understanding the Soviet collapse. So the mobilization from below, the collapse of the center, against the background of economic collapse, against the background of ideological implosion.

Petersburg ended up in one country, and Kyiv, Minsk, and Dushanbe ended in different countries. So the theories and explanations about how did that happen, for me, these are really very helpful theories for understanding the Soviet collapse. So the mobilization from below, the collapse of the center, against the background of economic collapse, against the background of ideological implosion.

Petersburg ended up in one country, and Kyiv, Minsk, and Dushanbe ended in different countries. So the theories and explanations about how did that happen, for me, these are really very helpful theories for understanding the Soviet collapse. So the mobilization from below, the collapse of the center, against the background of economic collapse, against the background of ideological implosion.

That's how I look at the fall of the Soviet Union, and that's how I look at the theories that explain that collapse.

That's how I look at the fall of the Soviet Union, and that's how I look at the theories that explain that collapse.

That's how I look at the fall of the Soviet Union, and that's how I look at the theories that explain that collapse.

The Soviet collapse was unique, but not more unique than collapse of any other empire. So what we really witnessed, or the world witnessed back in 1991, and we continue to witness today with the Russian aggression against Ukraine, is a collapse of one of the largest world empires.

The Soviet collapse was unique, but not more unique than collapse of any other empire. So what we really witnessed, or the world witnessed back in 1991, and we continue to witness today with the Russian aggression against Ukraine, is a collapse of one of the largest world empires.

The Soviet collapse was unique, but not more unique than collapse of any other empire. So what we really witnessed, or the world witnessed back in 1991, and we continue to witness today with the Russian aggression against Ukraine, is a collapse of one of the largest world empires.

We talked about the Soviet Union and now talk about Russia as possessing plus minus one-sixth of the surface of the Earth. You don't get in possession of one-sixth of the Earth by being a nation-state. You get that sort of size as an empire.

We talked about the Soviet Union and now talk about Russia as possessing plus minus one-sixth of the surface of the Earth. You don't get in possession of one-sixth of the Earth by being a nation-state. You get that sort of size as an empire.

We talked about the Soviet Union and now talk about Russia as possessing plus minus one-sixth of the surface of the Earth. You don't get in possession of one-sixth of the Earth by being a nation-state. You get that sort of size as an empire.

The Soviet collapse is a continuation of the disintegration of the Russian Empire that started back in 1917, that was arrested for some period of time by the Bolsheviks, by the communist ideology, which was internationalist ideology, and then came back in full force. in the late 80s and early 90s.

The Soviet collapse is a continuation of the disintegration of the Russian Empire that started back in 1917, that was arrested for some period of time by the Bolsheviks, by the communist ideology, which was internationalist ideology, and then came back in full force. in the late 80s and early 90s.