Imposing the Past: Putin’s War for History

A great deal has been written about Vladimir Putin’s relationship with history: the way it fascinates him, the way it inspires him, and the way it distorts his thinking. Yet, insightful as much of this analysis is, it does not always convey the extent to which Putin is actually fighting the West over control of historical narratives. It’s not simply that Putin believes history has destined Russia for greatness. He also believes that appreciating this fact is a prerequisite for fulfilling it.  For the past decade, Russian politicians and state-aligned media have insisted that foreigners are waging a forever war … Continue reading Imposing the Past: Putin’s War for History