Regarding isolationism, Russia has always been isolated from the West. The West has consistently sought to colonize Russia—whether for its vast natural resources or as a potential competitor in the Near and Far East, as well as in Asia. And, of course, for socialism. The Anglo-Saxons have always been Russia’s enemies.

As for China, I believe it poses an even greater threat to us than the Anglo-Saxons. One day, hundreds of millions of women, children, and the elderly could move into Siberia. How could we stop them? They are watching the struggle between Russia and the West and will eventually choose a side. But I doubt they’ll choose ours. On their maps, Siberia is already colored as part of China.

It’s hard to go into much detail about that period because everything was so secretive at the time. Discussing political topics, even with close friends, was dangerous—you could never be sure someone wouldn’t report you.

What I can say is that many people with little education but strong loyalty to socialism were drawn to positions of power. However, most of them didn’t really understand what socialism was. This lack of understanding was one of the reasons for the collapse of the Soviet Union. Even the top leaders, the Politburo members, didn’t know what to do next and ended up steering the country into the “decaying capitalism” they had always criticized. Now we’re just following in the footsteps of that same capitalism.

I was born in 1930, in a remote village in the mountains of South Ossetia. Until a certain age, I had no idea which country I lived in, or whether the political system was good or bad. But I saw nature. I interacted with people, and I read literature that urged me to love my homeland. I read about patriots, those who gave their lives to save the country. Only much later did I begin to understand whether our rulers were leading us with good or bad politics. And my patriotism was not dependent on their politics.

As for Solzhenitsyn, he was a product of Khrushchev, who hated Stalin. Khrushchev had his reasons for that. At first, Solzhenitsyn wasn’t so aggressively opposed to the USSR, but when he realized the benefits of anti-Soviet sentiment, he became a fierce opponent. Yes, there were things to criticize about the USSR, including the camps. These things were new to all of us back then, and that’s why Solzhenitsyn became popular. But history cannot be viewed only from one side. Yes, there were the camps, but there was also the selfless, heroic labor of the Soviet people, who, in just 10 years, prepared the country to stand up against all of Europe’s military might.

Solzhenitsyn even called for America to drop nuclear bombs on the USSR. Meanwhile, I was a colonel in the Soviet Army. That’s how I evaluate Solzhenitsyn’s position. Thank you

But let me share something as someone who has lived through difficult times. The camps were not something to admire or glorify. They are painful chapters of our history that we must remember to avoid repeating. Those of us who lived through those years know the value of humanity and compassion. I hope that, with time, you’ll see in these stories not just images but also the lessons they leave us.

The current political situation in the country is shaped by the presidential elections. However, it’s important to acknowledge that elections have been happening in the same way for almost the last 30 years, which is to say, there haven’t really been any elections. When I look at America, their presidential elections are set for around November 6, 2024, and the race for the presidency has already been going on for more than half a year. Compare this to our country, where candidates have just over a month to build their credibility from 0% to the required percentage to be elected in a country as large as ours. The main contender, however, has the state budget at his disposal. He wants to continue being the country’s leader, and he has the power to send a message to legislatures at all levels and to the government.

Honestly, I don’t understand the legal standing of this message. What is it? Is it his personal creation, and are officials held accountable for not implementing the points outlined in it? Or is it the work of a group of people who are well-versed in politics and the country’s economy, creating this message to assist the president? I’m only 94 years old, and perhaps that’s why I don’t understand the depth of the intent behind this message. Who is responsible for fulfilling or not fulfilling the good goals set out in the message? If there’s no responsibility, then in our country, this message is a beautiful fairy tale that plays the necessary role for the candidate, so to speak.

Hi! Thank you for your interest! I am publishing articles by my grandfather, who is currently 94 years old. What do you want to see the next article about? I’m giving him all your answers.

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I lived under socialism for 61 years and served in the Soviet army for 30 years, in various republics of the Soviet Union, and for a year in Cuba. There, I saw firsthand what the enlightened Americans had turned Cuba into and how the Anglo-Saxons treated the natives of the conquered territories. I witnessed how, in our brotherly republics, the Russian people helped the nations of the allied republics to develop industry, agriculture, science, culture, medicine, and more. I saw the great friendship of peoples during the Great Patriotic War. The collapse of the Soviet Union was a tragedy, not only for the peoples of the USSR. Unfortunately, in all the former Soviet republics, Nazism and fascism have flourished, including in Russia. Thank you.

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Great advice, thank yoU!

Thank you! What impressed you most out there?

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Thank you for reading my articles! I will try to post the second part as soon as possible.