Previous Subchapter → Episode 2 Introduction
In our original video on the Ukraine conflict, the Ukraine Narratives, we explained that Russia’s actions in the current conflict stem from a historic hostility towards NATO, and NATO expansionism.
But one interesting question we were asked in response to the video is:
Why does Russia perceive the West as a threat?
To answer this question we have to consider two parts: The Russian anxiety over the West’s military influence (particularly through NATO) and over its political influence.
To understand the first part, a military perspective, we have to return to the end of the Russian Empire and the formation of the USSR, but this time from Russia’s perspective rather than Ukraine’s. The days of the Russian Empire were the last time Russia could be truly said to have been aligned with Western Europe, the country’s monarch was a cousin of both the British and Germany kings, Russia was aligned with France politically, the East-West split in Europe didn’t so much exist.
That all came crumbling down when these 3 cousins found themselves on differing ends of conflict, the Germans heading the Central Powers, the British and the Russians fighting for the Allies in the First World War, after 3 years of that war there was an even further scism, as Russia overthrew the Tsar and broke with the Allies.