ESL Blogs

It was 25 December, 1991 when the Soviet flag lost its high command in sky and 15 small or big nations came into being. It was a day when Soviet became history and Russian map was drawn on the globe. A lot of obituaries were made about the future of the Russia and other former USSR countries. But no one knew what was written in the fate of this mighty nation.

I would say the last chapter on turmoil of this great nation was yet to be written. And the final outcome is still in the womb of time. The story began with Lenin and rocked the world on February revolution of 1917. Stalin (with all his contradictions of Human Rights) was able to get the position for Russia it deserved long before. Successive leaders followed the path and made the world bipolar in the times of cold war. It was Gorbachev in whose rein the Berlin wall fell and Soviet broke like a glass and shattered!

But I would like to ask what makes a nation great? One can say its time tested ability to survive in the moments of crisis. Like the Japan did after World War II or Vietnam/Germany did in era of Cold war. Others may say its the ability of nation to stay united even having huge difference. India and China are more diverse than whole Europe or Latin America if it comes in difference of languages, religions or ethnicity. They have their internal and external issues but by and large they are capable to rise peacefully and deserve some credit for it.

Although being betrayed on the subject of NATO and the ever rising membership of that group even after disbanding of Warsaw Pact. Russia has been able to done something extraordinary. Russia undoubtedly passed all the test (of greatness) one want to apply on her. Nothing influenced the historian as much as Russian Revolution did at the time of Lenin. And today the popularity of Putin is more than Lenin (Forbes ranked him 1). Its no less than miracle that in less than 3 decades of her disintegration the Russia has risen like never before. 

In the last 2 years from annexation of Crimea to war against Syria, Russian influence has only risen in the bigger context of International arena. Western sanctions did hurt Ruble but were not able to stop Russia by any means. The recent UNFCCC meeting in Paris on climate change is the biggest testimony of Putin's dominance in the global matters. Even when what Turkey did with the Russian jet on Turkish borders!  

Russia was quick to find her new friends once the western powers rejected her. It was China that took maximum benefit of the European conflict. Russian have the largest reserve of natural gas. They are also the largest producer as well. Now China is developing pipeline to get these biggest assets. The increasing dependency of West European countries on gulf (for Oil and gas) which itself is a too volatile area can't be appreciated in diplomacy of economic and strategic interests. 

To say that Russia will again become a super power like before is surely an exaggeration but to say that Russia will a dominant pole of this coming Multi-Polar world is a perfect statement. Putin's vision for Russia is still a question that cant be predicted precisely. But what can be felt from outside Russia is that here is a leader (Putin) who is most popular in his country. A country which feels betrayed from much part of the world and is standing strongly behind that leader. 

When nations walk on such lines with such courage and leadership then such moments makes the glorifying history in the chapter of time! The whole world is in a churn and Russia is rising again. What will happen next is exciting and intriguing.