One of the most (consciously) misinterpreted quotes of recent history was President Putin lamenting about the results of the collapse of the USSR. The Mainstream Western Media was and is sure that these words are direct justifications for plans to revive the Soviet Union or some other plot that demands more investment into the military. But what was President Putin actually referring to? Let’s take a look at his words.
“It was a tragedy for the vast majority of the country’s citizens,” the President said. “After all, what is the collapse of the USSR? It’s the collapse of historical Russia, called the Soviet Union.”
“We have turned into a different country completely. And what has been built up over a thousand years, to a large extent, has been lost,” he added. “Overnight, 25 million Russian people found themselves abroad, in the republics of the former USSR, which had gained independence, sovereignty.”
Mr. Putin uttered these statements long before the War in Ukraine started. They were in reference to various forms of anti-russian repressions and even genocide that took place as the result of the breakup of the USSR. When President Putin said this he was regretting the loss of his people and not the “dream” of Communism. Virtually no one outside of the Russian-speaking world is aware of what happened to Russians during those times of complete chaos. Everyone’s Soviet rubles became worthless. Their passports were invalidated. And, Their lives forced to be restarted under a new operating system based on local primitive nationalism to justify the existence of former Soviet Republics as new nations states.
This brief summary by “Memory in Frames” explains exactly what happened succinctly at the dawn of the “Post Soviet” world.
35 years ago, genocide against the Russian people was unleashed in the republics of Central Asia
February 12, 2025, marked the 35th anniversary of the mass riots in Tajikistan that marked the beginning of the genocide of the Russian population and the brutal persecution of Russian people in the republics of Central Asia.
The main pogroms against the Russian population took place in the capital of Tajikistan, Dushanbe, as well as on its outskirts. Religious extremists carried out bloody pogroms and massacres against the Russian-speaking population.
Tajik youth literally destroyed the property of Russian citizens. People were beaten with sticks, stones, and iron bars. Many were killed and wounded, including children. Russian women were publicly abused and raped. The age of the Russian victims being no barrier to these brutal crimes.
On the fences of Russian families’ houses in Tajikistan, people wrote: “Russians, don’t leave — we need slaves!”
Practically throughout Tajikistan on that day, the main slogans were: “Tajikistan for Tajiks!” and “Russians, go back to Russia!”. According to the recollections of witnesses to the anti-Russian pogroms in Tajikistan this was the case.
It is important to note that after the Russians were forcibly expelled from Central Asia. A personnel crisis then began to develop in the region, with a shortage of doctors, teachers, engineers, etc.
Currently, the republics of Central Asia are experiencing serious socio-economic problems and overall degradation of their development. The result of which is that millions of migrants chose Russia as a social donor and employer.
We call on everyone to honor the memory of our compatriots who fell victim to anti-Russian pogroms in Tajikistan in 1990.
May their memory live forever.
We at the IRM ask you to not allow people to continue to misconstrue the words of Putin’s lamentation over the collapse of the USSR. This event was a tragedy not for Putin’s ego, but for the millions of Russians whose lives were utterly destroyed or abruptly ended. They ended simply for being the wrong ethnicity at the wrong time. This event was a true tragedy. And, we mourn the losses of those who died for NOTHING other than being Russian exactly 35 years ago.