Serhii Plokhy

But the politics, the political campaign, of course, have their own rules. And they produce and give birth to mythology, which still, at least in this country, we live till now, till today.

But the politics, the political campaign, of course, have their own rules. And they produce and give birth to mythology, which still, at least in this country, we live till now, till today.

Of course, history, on the one hand, there is a statement. It doesn't allow for what-ifs. On the other hand, in my opinion, history is full of what-ifs. That's what history is about. And certainly, there are scenarios how the Soviet Union would continue. Would continue beyond, let's say, Gorbachev's tenure. Mm-hmm.

Of course, history, on the one hand, there is a statement. It doesn't allow for what-ifs. On the other hand, in my opinion, history is full of what-ifs. That's what history is about. And certainly, there are scenarios how the Soviet Union would continue. Would continue beyond, let's say, Gorbachev's tenure. Mm-hmm.

Of course, history, on the one hand, there is a statement. It doesn't allow for what-ifs. On the other hand, in my opinion, history is full of what-ifs. That's what history is about. And certainly, there are scenarios how the Soviet Union would continue. Would continue beyond, let's say, Gorbachev's tenure. Mm-hmm.

And the argument has been made that the reforms that he introduced, that they were mismanaged and they could be managed differently, or there could be no reforms and there could be continuing stagnation. So that is all possible. What I think would happen one way or another is the Soviet collapse in a different form on somebody else's watch.

And the argument has been made that the reforms that he introduced, that they were mismanaged and they could be managed differently, or there could be no reforms and there could be continuing stagnation. So that is all possible. What I think would happen one way or another is the Soviet collapse in a different form on somebody else's watch.

And the argument has been made that the reforms that he introduced, that they were mismanaged and they could be managed differently, or there could be no reforms and there could be continuing stagnation. So that is all possible. What I think would happen one way or another is the Soviet collapse in a different form on somebody else's watch.

at some later period in time because we're dealing with not just processes that were happening in the Soviet Union, we're dealing with global processes and the 20th century turned out to be the century of the disintegration of the empires.

at some later period in time because we're dealing with not just processes that were happening in the Soviet Union, we're dealing with global processes and the 20th century turned out to be the century of the disintegration of the empires.

at some later period in time because we're dealing with not just processes that were happening in the Soviet Union, we're dealing with global processes and the 20th century turned out to be the century of the disintegration of the empires.

You look at the globe, at the map of the world in 1914, and you compare it to the map at the end of the 20th century in 1991, 1992, and suddenly you realize that there are many candidates for being the most important event, the most important process in the 20th century. But the biggest global thing that happened was redrawing the map of the world and producing

You look at the globe, at the map of the world in 1914, and you compare it to the map at the end of the 20th century in 1991, 1992, and suddenly you realize that there are many candidates for being the most important event, the most important process in the 20th century. But the biggest global thing that happened was redrawing the map of the world and producing

You look at the globe, at the map of the world in 1914, and you compare it to the map at the end of the 20th century in 1991, 1992, and suddenly you realize that there are many candidates for being the most important event, the most important process in the 20th century. But the biggest global thing that happened was redrawing the map of the world and producing

dozens, if not hundreds, of new states. That's the outcome of the different processes of the 20th century. Look, Yugoslavia is falling apart around the same time. Czechoslovakia goes through what can be called a civilized divorce, a very rare occurrence in the fall of multinational states.

dozens, if not hundreds, of new states. That's the outcome of the different processes of the 20th century. Look, Yugoslavia is falling apart around the same time. Czechoslovakia goes through what can be called a civilized divorce, a very rare occurrence in the fall of multinational states.

dozens, if not hundreds, of new states. That's the outcome of the different processes of the 20th century. Look, Yugoslavia is falling apart around the same time. Czechoslovakia goes through what can be called a civilized divorce, a very rare occurrence in the fall of multinational states.

So, yeah, the writing was on the wall, whether it would happen under Gorbachev or later, whether it would happen as the result of reforms or as the result of no reforms. But I think that sooner or later that would happen.

So, yeah, the writing was on the wall, whether it would happen under Gorbachev or later, whether it would happen as the result of reforms or as the result of no reforms. But I think that sooner or later that would happen.

So, yeah, the writing was on the wall, whether it would happen under Gorbachev or later, whether it would happen as the result of reforms or as the result of no reforms. But I think that sooner or later that would happen.