178. Konstantin Samoilov - Russia has no borders. But Ukraine has turned the tables on this idea and shown that Russia’s vast border regions are undefended, and in some ways undefendable.

Russia has no borders. This was the expansive and imperialistic
idea behind the Russian World philosophy. But Ukraine has turned the tables on
this idea and shown that Russia’s vast border regions are undefended, and in
some ways undefendable. From the ‘little blue men’ appearing in Belgorod, to
the drone strikes deep in Russian territory, the theatrical explosion about the
Kremlin roof, and the mysterious fires happening at strategic facilities all
over Russia, it seems that Putin’s war to secure Russia’s borders has actually
had the effect of stripping Russia of any safety and security.

Konstantin Samoilov is a well-known YouTuber whose channel ‘Inside
Russia’ comments insightfully on Russia’s decent into authoritarianism over the
last few years. But now, like many others, he’s outside Russia, with no idea of
when he can return there.