Andrey Nuykin for the USSR

The New Year's issue of Literaturnaya Gazeta published an article by Andrey Nuikin, a literary critic and publicist, former "foreman of perestroika", dedicated to the next anniversary of the signing of the Belovezhskaya Accords, which formalized the collapse of the Soviet Union. The leitmotif of the publication is the unresolved numerous problems associated with the formation of sovereign states, and its possible consequences.

The author does not hide the fact that the collapse of the Soviet Socialist Republic is a tragedy for him. Even more because, in his opinion, this process is not a "civilized divorce" with a calm, balanced and - most importantly! - the legal settlement of all disputed territorial (read - property) issues, and the spontaneous breakup of ambitious and hysterical spouses.

Andrey Nuikin believes that the collapse of the USSR was largely due to the inflated self-esteem of a number of future independent states: “The Ukrainian nationalists were ready [to secede - ed. ] (and then purely psychologically!) , who always longed to "make a goat" for the damned Muscovites, Azerbaijan, which had long dreamed of itself in the sultry embrace of Turkey, and Georgia, imagining that its tangerines would be torn off with their hands in Italian or Algerian markets. The rest were not ready, and, in general, they didn't want to "run away" ... And independence gave them nothing but poverty, internal and external political instability.

Therefore, A. Nuikin approves the revival of Russia's imperial ambitions, contrary to the opinion of "outrageous well-wishers", "asserting the right to speak on behalf of the world community, trying to decide not only on the basis of international legal norms and principles, but even not on the basis of the internal legislation of the USSR [ why foreign states should be guided by the internal legislation of the long-defunct USSR when resolving international issues is not entirely clear - ed. ], but simply depending on their own current benefits and interests.

The publicist believes that such a situation can and should lead to an increase in revanchist sentiments in the Russian state, which has not yet lost its military power: “ But am I trying to engage in “nuclear blackmail”? such "ambitions" are now "out of line" for us. So I don't scare, but just try to warn ahead of time, until humanity has crossed the line beyond which it will no longer be possible to resolve all issues in a peaceful and civilized manner. We won't have time - Russia, no matter how Regrettably, both the form of government and the type of leaders will have to be changed. To those who can not only set goals vital for the country, but are also able to achieve them. Over the millennia of its difficult history, Russia has had to do this more than once - there is experience!" . True, this experience, from our point of view, is very doubtful, but it is only a matter of interpretation: “We will still not remember about the Mongol yoke and temporary surrender of territory in the early stages of Russian history. But it is quite appropriate to recall the Crimean War in today's situation. We returned after it to the Black Sea, and not in the status of "corner residents", but as the leading power in the region [?! - ed. ]. The territories lost during the Russo-Japanese War were also able to return, albeit not immediately, but (and they were also considered lost forever!). Well, it’s scary to remember the scale of the destruction of Russia during the Civil War. By the summer of 1918, the Soviet authorities had lost three-quarters of the territory of the Russian Empire! And what? Returned..."
According to A. Nuikin, these examples should bring our former partners in the USSR to their senses, some of whom are not behaving quite decently: “What is there some kind of Tuzla! What is there some kind of Aral Sea! Completely oppressed by the accursed Muscovites, the proud Ukrainian people, without a single shot during the years of Soviet power, “on the sly” ousted Russia from the gigantic region of primordially Russian lands, while taking almost the entire Black Sea coast into their hands!

Of course, Nuikin does not advocate the immediate restoration of the USSR. Moreover, he believes that * "To those who seriously (at the level of the convictions of the entire people, and not for the sake of the courage of the elites) wanted to leave the Russian Empire, good riddance. And to those whose ancestors once begged to be taken under protection, to save from extermination, and to those whom the empire annexed by force of arms ... Only, of course, only within those territories with which this people once joined Russia (or was annexed). And not a centimeter more. inter-republican, purely administrative, in fact!) redistribution, cuts and cuts were not made by the Soviet government during the years of the triumph of the ideas of internationalism.

Agree, such a slogan contains absolutely nothing predatory and annexationist ," the author sums up. But countering this slogan will lead to the weakening of Russia, without which, in his opinion, no one will be able to solve the problem of achieving "reliable peace on Earth" *, warns He.

Sources

• Nuykin A. Border // Literary newspaper. 2003. No. 52. December 24-30.