If we leave emotionality aside and compare the totalitarian Nazi and Soviet regimes strictly on the basis of hard statistics, throughout its career the Soviet regime turns out to have murdered more innocent people, enslaved more people in concentrations camps, occupied more foreign countries and for longer, than the Nazis. Why in the world should anyone want to fly the flag of that horrific regime in a place of honour? Some will of course answer, “Because the Soviets helped to defeat the Nazis.” True. Yet they did not replace the defeated Nazi oppressors with freedom, but with simply another foreign oppressive regime across half of Europe, under which millions more continued to be murdered and enslaved, and that does not seem reason for particular celebration. To consider the Soviet victory over Nazism in the context of liberation requires one to voluntarily set intelligent thinking aside.

I won't sepnd long on this, as the Soviet Union, as seems unoticed by some simply doesn't exist. The ones who seem to be for and against, are stuck in some sort of static time delusion capsule, so I leave them, on their little unaware travels, in their capsule 'cold war'. Now in terms of Russia, we did an absolutely fantastic job in the second world war, without Russia, Europe would undoubtedly be dominated by a German Nazi regime. All respected military historians, know the fantastic achievements of the Russian armed services, especially the army, and the huge sacrifice and resolve of our people. We all can be hugely proud of what they did, which brought to an end, the evil Nazi era. Their achievements on the battlefield were absolutely humbling, both men and women, uniformed and un-uniformed, the suffering that they endured, fighting a formidable foe. There is a huge moral debt, owed by us Russians to the memory of the fallen ones, and to the memory of the ones, who came through with horrific experiences etched upon their bodies and minds. They kept this beautiful country for us, the biggest in the world, self sufficient in resources. With a people educated and intelligent enough to guarantee our future defence. May the 9th approaches, so spend some time on that day, remembering those Russian people who suffered immensely to beat the Nazi cause. It was a an unachievable, achievement, achieved. A truly great victory by our people. Let's all show them the respect they deserve, and let it give us the couurage we need to put down, any other would be aggressor. We will build, as Russians together on this great gift from the brave ones who bestowed it. We will cherrish and respect the gift. Others are free to throw it away, for just a mere gift it was, even though obtained by great sacrifice. However, once gone, it cannot be got back, nor will it be given again. Beciause our hearts as givers, remember the eyes of those, who think nothing of our sacrifice.

Count Cash writes, “Now in terms of Russia, we did an absolutely fantastic job in the second world war…” The defeat of Germany which Russia’s effort helped achieve was certainly great. But the way in which this was achieved is something else again. I recommend the powerful 2006 book, “Ivan’s War – Life and Death in the Red Army, 1939-1945”, by Catherine Merridale (Metropolitan Books). Count Cash also writes that “the Soviet Union, as seems unnoticed by some simply doesn’t exist.” Indeed. This seems especially unnoticed by Moscow, which mounted an unprecedented convulsive reaction in 1997 when Estonia removed not a Russian, but a Soviet monument from downtown Tallinn, at which Russian provocateurs were flying not the Russian, but the Soviet flag.

In my previous post, "1997" should of course have been "2007". However, perhaps my typo was actually a "Freudian slip", because whether you take 2007, 1997, 1987, 1957, 1937 or 1927, Moscow's position towards Estonia has shown pretty much the same degree of warmth and friendship throughout. One continues to search for signs that by 2017 it might somehow be different.

Glory to the Great Russian Army which defeated fascism. Bandera was the son of a Ukrainian catholic priest and a traitor to all Ukrainian people.

Pt1: Marzipan6, I can understand your reasons sitting behind your words against the soviet occupation, but I can see also from other posts of yours that you have kind of antipathy against the current Russia. I think you should understand that modern Russia now and in the near future cannot recognize the soviet occupation as well as all the soviet misbehaviours. It’s clear that after the liberation from the Nazis the Soviets occupied the Baltic nations. As long as one country does not want to be ruled by another one, any forced join must be considered as pure occupation. Russian people suffered as well from the Soviet rules, and paid for that regime with many lives especially during the purges of the 30s. All soviet nations (also Russia) were victims of soviet dictatorship, but due to its size and population Russia should accept the legacy of CCCP. I think that Baltic nations should close one eye and try to be more pragmatic. Baltic nations are pretending and try to convince themselves that they can live and prosper without Russia. They turn their back against Russia in its worst time which matched the best best of US history, thinking that that it would have been the future status quo of the world. It’s enough looking at a map of Europe to understand that Baltic nations they cannot be and will never be out of the sphere of influence of Russia.

Pt.2: First they made for sure wrong choices: US, NATO and EU. NATO: It could be naïve thinking that in case of military hostilities according to NATO agreements countries like Italy, France or Germany would send their young guys to die fighting the Russians (who by now almost brothers for us). Therefore you are in an alliance which is too large to guarantee to you the security you need. America with its 13 trillion$ debts cannot afford neither a war against the Tonga Islands, imagine against a country with 9000 combat-ready tanks... In case of a war with the Baltics the only risk for Russia would be the dissolution of the NATO alliance since it does not grant any security to its members, the complete political isolation and condemnation of Russia for a couple of years, but the business as usual between the West and Russia would not be affected due to the west dependency of Russian raw materials. US: They are struggling to maintain its positions in Afghanistan, its economy is loosing 30 million$ per day, definitely a country in downfall. The current and future administrations will not risk a war with Russia for tiny countries with low geopolitical importance. They did neither intervene during the war in the Caucasus, a geopolitical pillar for US. EU: the union serves only to the interests of Gemany, UK, France and Italy. Baltics nations are considered only as a market where they can sell their products without any custom duty. By not joining a custom union with Russia the Baltics are giving up cheap gas, electricity and oil which mean that due to the “averaged” market price of supplies they will never be able to build up big companies able to impose themselves in the world market. The option of becoming new Switzerlands is not foreseeable due to the new stance of the West against the “fiscal paradises”.