The Troika Rears its Head Once Again

... ¬– a strange combination of flashpoints, gangster shootouts, separatist attacks, outbursts of aggression and domestic violence. There are few periods in Russian history where foreign political problems have been so insignificant in terms of perceived threats. The West looked at what was going on with a mixture of shock and enthusiasm, applauding the apparent democratization of the country and the return of Russia to the European community. This process took place on rather disadvantageous terms, but this was to ...