Decolonising Russia's WWII myth

[@VladVexlerChat]

Vlad's main channel kzbin.infovideos Support Vlad's work on Patreon! www.patreon.com/vladvexler Support Vlad via PayPal www.paypal.com/paypalme/vladvexler?country.x=GB&locale.x=en_GB

[@PandemoniumMeltDown]

Joyeuses fêtes, Vlad, à toi et ta famille, proche et étendue! You are one of the best gifts I ever received! I can only wish you all the health and longevity; I wish me your longevity for I selfishly wish my candle will go out before yours, because I enjoy you immensely, yet that your days will, eventually, be free of pain and struggles due to this insidious and horrible condition, plaguing your life so cruelly. 💛💙😘

[@erfanioerfani5351]

If I know anything about reality, it's painful as hell, no it's worse than hell, now it depends how close you get to it but some Russians seems to be already falling from the other side of the roof and that might seem like reality to them so it creates some fascist elements but for full fascism you need absolute trust between people and people and people and state it will create a sense of collective euphoria that is short lived but it's an addiction so people desperately look for ways to reinforce and recreate that sense, putin doesn't seem likely to be able to do it in his own lifetime and it needs the kind of hardship and disaster that can create trust based on survival usually nothing is more harmful in a society than some serious economic hardship, the unity in a fascist regime must be absolute it must have one will, that means you need a social contract that gets both people and the intellectual and wealthy elites to unite around the same cause you can't fool the educated elite with fantasy you need some real science or pseudoscience to convince them and the results must be tangible for them hitler did it with his so called living space, for regular people for ensuring that they will stick with you through the journey conspiracy theories and a big lie so they cannot be swayed by others are crucial as the trust must be absolute and the relationship cult like but not like you are trying to manipulate the population so you must believe in your own story as well until a fascist project is successful and going according to plan the fascist nation will stick to it's deadly narrative and justifies the death and destruction it brings to the rest of the world, fascists are simultaneously extremely individualistic while also being an extreme form of collective, that's because they believe they're going to realize their individual ideals through collective action hence the trust and they are quite effective because their collective bliss is only possible while there is a disaster to justify it they're always gonna need a disaster, so they always manufacture disaster, usually by starting a lot of wars and knowingly doing stuff that may seem absurd for anyone else, for example using human fat in their industries, fascist nations are death cults, and like addicts they justify their wars by telling themselves it's for the living space or annihilation of jews and their conspiracy it's not, it's for the euphoria, they live off disaster, they exist because of disaster, ofcourse some people will start questioning whether or not it's all worth it but that's only after their primary justification fails for example they can't reach for the living space as it happened to a good chunk of nazis after 1943 when they lost in stalingrad and kursk, then the trust starts to falter among the more educated but still a majority will not abandon their addiction, allied forces didn't know it but most Germans knew what was happening in concentration camps that's why showing the pictures of horrors of holocaust as a way of denazifacation failed, it took a long time for Germany to come to it's senses and that wasn't for the propaganda effort by allies it was because they didn't get the substance they were addicted to... disclamer:this was just some thoughts on fascism and I'm not an expert so it's a regular opinion do not take it at face value do your own research and stick to fascist experts(fascist experts not fascist experts! unless you are a fascist expert then do both)and use their expertise in applications I'm just a random nobody looking for intellectual trouble, I forgot to finish high school or rather I couldn't and now have some sort of intellectual inferiority complex, again this is a non-expert opinion. Merry Christmas everybody!

[@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u]

What are we talking about? I missed the context.

[@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u]

Very bad historical context, especially regarding the Baltics, which historians do you refer to Vlad when making such statements? Listened to the end, you shouldn't make historical videos, no offense.

[@benjamindemontgomery6317]

Vlad That was Beautiful. I Wish I could se the world through your mind. Thank you. I will watch This Again Manny times. 💯

[@drfill9210]

I was in a cult once. As far as myths ingrained go- 1. Perfectly intelligent people can believe them 2. Don't for a second think it can't happen to you

[@renstein8210]

It has happened here. Vlad is a quality cult leader.

[@zibbitybibbitybop]

The only reliable defense against cult think is a dedicated combination of realism and skepticism. If you don't drink anybody's Kool-aid without corroborating it first against reality, then you aren't going to fall victim to post-truth cultist bait. Raw intelligence isn't the key factor here, it's a wisdom check.

[@answerman9933]

I cannot happen to me. I am too apathetic.

[@benoithudson7235]

Vlad is missing the part of forcing you to lose your family ties and preventing you from quitting. He’s a total failure at cult leadership. Which is a good thing, of course.

[@thunder2434]

@@renstein8210 He's a philosophical caretaker. He asks for nothing but for us to think for ourselves and find new ways to view life and the world. That's the opposite of a cult leader.

[@richardoldfield6714]

It's curious how Russia''s WWII myth doesn't like to include the pact made with Germany to divide up Poland between them, to place the Baltic States (Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia) under Soviet influence, and to grant the Soviets a sphere of influence in Finland and part of Romania.

[@sergeyk6782]

You forgot how peaceful they always are)

[@captainmcawesome7908]

The baltics were not "under soviet influence" they were straight Up annexed. Same goes for parts finland and also Japan by the way. If we're perfectly honest, the West could've chosen either Germany or the Soviet Union as useful Idiot to defeat the other and end up stuck with a mad imperialistic opponent.

[@bloodymares]

No, it is included, but with a flavor of "Damn backstabbing Germans couldn't be trusted!". So it's a tale of Hitler's betrayal rather than a tale of two dictators scheming together to do evil things.

[@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u]

"It's curious how Russia''s WWII myth doesn't like to include the pact made with Germany to divide up Poland between them." This is part of the school curriculum.

[@richardoldfield6714]

@@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u In contemporary Russian education, the coverage of this pact is often limited and presented in a manner that justifies Soviet actions. Recent history textbooks, approved by the Ministry of Education, tend to gloss over or rationalize the Soviet invasion of Poland and the Baltic states.

[@crazystarwarsguy1006]

I amazed my Russian friends with new facts for them , like the Arctic convoys in WW2 and lend lease but what absolutely floored them was the news that the British actually voted Churchill out of office at the the end of the war. They all assumed he was a bit of a demigod like Stalin.

[@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u]

Your Russian friends didn't go to school?

[@SiarheiSiamashka]

Zelensky will be also voted out after the war. Or at least that's how it should be.

[@Muljinn]

If he’s smart, Zelensky will retire from politics at wars end. And truth be told, I think he’ll be beyond tired of carrying the burden of leadership by then.

[@crazystarwarsguy1006]

@@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u Russian schools. That's why.

[@aegisfate117]

​@@SiarheiSiamashka how's it gonna be?

[@bganonimouse2754]

Merry Christmas from Belgrade Vlad, where the students area leading protests in an attempt to see off the corrupt government! The kind of optimism people are feeling hasn't been seen for decades.

[@lockwoodpeckinpaugh9252]

Russia is a corrupting force. No matter where they show up.

[@ToniAittoniemi]

Good luck and godspeed!

[@gregoryadair3223]

Good luck !!

[@Muljinn]

Here’s to your success and Lukashenko’s fall from power.

[@johnwright9372]

​@@MuljinnBelgrade is the capital of Serbia. Lukashenko is president of Belarus, whose capital is Minsk.

[@steved7961]

A distinguishing feature of Soviet attitudes during the war is that displayed to the returning soldiers who had lost a limb or limbs. The other allies and indeed the Germans generally regarded such returnees with sympathy and treated them well whereas the Soviet state (and people) appear to have been indifferent, if not hostile. towards them. The government seems to have been very keen to get them out of sight and to prevent them begging in public places which would obviously emphasise their poverty and lack of government assistance. The Soviets were alone in treating such heroes as nuisances. An interesting topic that I have never seen analysed.

[@Jolly_Rodger]

Here, in US, I saw plenty of veterans of several wars begging. There are a lot of veterans among the homeless population. Do I need to blame American government for that too?

[@steved7961]

@@Jolly_Rodger My point was that people did NOT see Soviet disabled veterans begging for very long because they were a bad ad. for the regime so they banned them from the streets. If the US starts banning veterans (or those who claim to be) from begging on the streets, that is a bad sign for democracy.

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

@@Jolly_RodgerSo, you completely missed the point of everything they said, huh?🤦‍♂️

[@Jolly_Rodger]

@ What point? In former Soviet Union beggars and begging in public places was prohibited for everyone. Agree or disagree, but that was then ind it was the law. The disabled veterans received state pension and were entitled to free healthcare and almost free accommodation: a room, an apartment or something like that.

[@primarchvulkan5097]

​@Jolly_Rodger the point is the Soviet Union disappeared many of them. The Soviets did have a nasty habit of using the gulags

[@whymustithinkofaname]

Merry Christmas Vlad. Glad you've been able to travel and still have the energy to give us a video!

[@VladVexlerChat]

@@whymustithinkofaname thank you so much and gentlest wishes

[@jbaccanalia]

Lovely to see you up today.

[@mirekslechta7161]

Britain on a good day could deploy 30, maybe up to 40K troops. That is the number of killed Ukrainien soldiers just in the small Kursk area during the recent fighting.... Did you know that soldiers in the British Army are resigning faster than any new ones can be recruited? So the numbers are going down!! And to talk about this army as something relevant…? Please…. , calling Brits poodles would be an insult to poodles, okay?

[@VladVexlerChat]

🌻

[@Matt.Willoughby]

​@@mirekslechta7161go away

[@maxua-gg]

Merry Christmas from Kyiv! Be well, Vlad 🙌

[@chetpomeroy1399]

*BE SAFE,* maxua-gg!

[@heathergibson7939]

Dear Vlad, I lack your eloquence and the beautiful way you express your thoughts, so forgive this feeble attempt. You are an extraordinary soul, your calm demeanor is so welcome and needed in the world today. Thank you for prodding my intellect and making me reevaluate my preconceived ideas. You are an absolute gem, greatly appreciated and loved by your beautiful community. May your festive season bring you peace and joy, and the new year bring you better health and much happiness.

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank you so so much - gentle Christmas wishes your way!

[@michaziomek]

Best wishes from Poland Vlad! Lots of love and good health to you 😊. Happy Christmas!

[@mirekslechta7161]

Britain on a good day could deploy 30, maybe up to 40K troops. That is the number of killed Ukrainien soldiers just in the small Kursk area during the recent fighting.... Did you know that soldiers in the British Army are resigning faster than any new ones can be recruited? So the numbers are going down!! And to talk about this army as something relevant…? Please…. , calling Brits poodles would be an insult to poodles, okay?

[@samwilcockmusic]

@@mirekslechta7161 obvious botting

[@michaziomek]

@@samwilcockmusic yeah, gpt4 messed up this one

[@michaziomek]

@@mirekslechta7161 Let me remind you of an english general's opinion about their need of land forces. “I do not say the Frenchman will not come. I only say he will not come by sea.” - Admiral Lord St.Vincent 1803 So unless someone figures out how to teleport 120.000 troops to the isles, you can pretty much say it's fine.

[@snookerturk]

Merry Christmas to our beautiful community and Vlad's congregation

[@suzannstrohmaier2578]

Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄

[@Bill-Hicks-ashtray]

To you too ❤️

[@Bill-Hicks-ashtray]

​@@suzannstrohmaier2578🌲Merry Christmas 🌲

[@susanaqueiroz9366]

Merry Christmas 🎄🎄🎄🌹

[@glenngreatorex3520]

Great to see you upright and out in the sticks. Huge thanks for all of your Herculean efforts to bring us updates through your health issues. Always fabulous. Top of the season to you and yours, and the VV community. Go Ukraine.

[@eveningtsar]

To my mind, the most pernicious Russian WWII myth is that it never ended, that they're repeating the past, and are thus justified in everything they do.

[@DimitriTheBarbarian]

The war started in 1917. The idea was to liberate workers and peasants from the rich. The only way to achieve is perpetual wars

[@Jolly_Rodger]

What never ended?

[@goldenageofdinosaurs7192]

@@Jolly_RodgerWWII, of course

[@michaelwarenycia7588]

In a way it didn't end, since they're still fighting it. Even though they were nominally allies of Britain and the US 41-45, remember that their real "victory" was conquering all of eastern and most of central Europe, including Poland, czechia, Hungary and eastern Germany, and imposing a brutal totalitarian regime on those peoples. Russia is still fighting the same fight. Don't believe that Stalin was ever fighting for democracy and freedom.

[@edwardadams9358]

It hasn't ended. Neither the Soviet Union, nor Russia has ever signed a peace agreement with Japan.

[@janronschke7525]

Happy holidays! Enjoy the countryside, youve really earned it!

[@suzannstrohmaier2578]

Frohe Weihnachten...Merry Christmas 🎄

[@janronschke7525]

@@suzannstrohmaier2578 To you, too! Dir auch!🕯🎄☃

[@suzannstrohmaier2578]

@@janronschke7525 Dankeschön 👍

[@VladVexlerChat]

💛

[@davidwarren1298]

All the best from Australia. Keep up your great work .

[@gregash7683]

The conflict that occurred between September 1, 1939 through May 8, 1945, that the western world called World War 2, was two distinct events in soviet history. The alliance that the Soviet Union had with nazi Germany from the mid-1930's to June 21, 1941, allowed illegal soviet armor to be imported into Germany in violation of the Treaty of Versailles and prompted the joint invasion and division of Poland on September 1, 1939. If Moscow had a name for this period, it certainly didn't qualify as part of the 'Great Patriotic War' that essentially began on June 22, 1941 with Operation Barbarossa. Once the nazi thief stabbed the soviet thief in the back, the scenario changed along with the name. Here, the myth of soviet power, under Stalin's watchful eye, begins to grow. Aside from the old Russian excuse of harsh winter favoring the motherland, a convenient ignoring of millions of dollars of Lend Lease aid, including armor and artillery, is somehow missed in the Kremlin Myth of self-sufficiency and sacrifice in deep respect and love for Comrade Stalin who never visited the battlefront. How an armchair superhero gains the respect of western leaders, qualifying the Soviet Union to become a superpower and permanent Security Council member at the UN is a mystery. That same Great Patriotic War didn't end in Berlin, but continued through the end of the decade with the theft of 'war spoils' from eastern Germany and those previously subjected countries behind the 'Iron Curtain'. Proud myths have a way of somehow sanitizing the dirty details out of the storyline. The Stalin myth, updated for 21st century Russian Federation citizens, is beginning to fracture in light of a SMO gone wrong and the world realizing that fascism is not just a German-Italian phenomenon of the past century.

[@steved7961]

The pact ended in June 1941 with the German invasion of that month.

[@gregash7683]

@@steved7961 Thanks for the correction! There could have been a few weeks or months of estrangement before the divorce, but then again, we aren't talking about the sharpest knives in Stalin's drawer.

[@GarrFagen-zc3em]

@@gregash7683 The Japanese, and others, also dabbled in fascism last century. Any idea how Henry Ford got around the restrictions on arming Germany? Perhaps by providing certain components sold separately, to be assembled at home by the purchaser? Or was the law only directed at the provision of armour?

[@iwh7]

@@GarrFagen-zc3em they did and what does that has to do with the soviet behaviour? i mean beyound whataboutism?

[@GarrFagen-zc3em]

@@iwh7 It's not whataboutism. Fascism took root beyond Italy, and Germany. Soviets called their strain something else.

[@rickhill5161]

Happy to see you vertical and with a warm holiday background. Thank you for all of your efforts this past year! Merry Christmas

[@DangBeefy]

Merry Christmas Vlad!

[@mirekslechta7161]

Britain on a good day could deploy 30, maybe up to 40K troops. That is the number of killed Ukrainien soldiers just in the small Kursk area during the recent fighting.... Did you know that soldiers in the British Army are resigning faster than any new ones can be recruited? So the numbers are going down!! And to talk about this army as something relevant…? Please…. , calling Brits poodles would be an insult to poodles, okay?

[@VladVexlerChat]

Happy Christmas!

[@eruno_]

Merry Christmas from the Baltics! ❤

[@Bill-Hicks-ashtray]

Back at you, from Northern England ❤️

[@FizzFizzFizzFizzFizz]

Shout out from 🇱🇻

[@suzannstrohmaier2578]

@eruno_ Merry Christmas 🎄

[@smith...1]

Merry Christmas from Australia 🌏☀️✨

[@edwardkennedy6443]

Merry Christmas from Kiev:) As for the topic, I don’t think that in Russia, even after Putin, it is possible to revise the myth of the Second World War, which by the way is still called the Great Patriotic War there. When these myths began to crumble in our country, a part of society reacted rather aggressively, and a rational discussion about the fact that Ukraine, although it lost millions of lives in the fight against Nazism, certainly cannot glorify the USSR, a country that occupied Ukrainian land, executed, exiled and starved no less than Hitler often moved into the emotional field with cries about neo-Nazism and twisting history. For Russia, you can multiply this by ten and add to this a bunch of weapons in the hands of members of the so-called SVO.

[@GarrFagen-zc3em]

AKA Kyiv !

[@careyfreeman5056]

Should rename it the "Great Unnecessary War That Could Have Been Avoided if we Weren't Such Inherent Dicks".

[@tomnps1671]

Thank you for your insightful thoughts. The more I read about Ukraine's history, the more I realize about this situation..

[@jamesgornall5731]

The Ukrainian nationalists were only too happy to assist the Germany, until it became clear that they had almost as little regards for them as they did the Polish. Not quite, but almost.

[@alexxx4434]

I'm not defending current Russian geo-politics. But saying that USSR occupied Ukraine? Please, tell me next that Ukraine was a colony for USSR... One thing I've noticed stays true is that nationalist in every country always lie about the history.

[@dgsoundCA]

We love you, Vlad! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 🎉

[@russetmantle1]

Thanks for this interesting video. Great stuff. I suppose what irritates me the most about how many Russians appear to see WW2 is the perception that the victory was pretty much entirely Russia's. For instance, there seems to be no recognition of the allies' contribution, now those allies are perceived as modern enemies. The classic example would be the ignorance that seems to be widespread in Russia about just how much the US provided to the USSR in terms of lend lease during the war, and how crucial that was to the Soviet war effort. And of course, there's the fact that a great many Ukrainian soldiers were part of the Soviet army at that time. Today's Russian WW2 propaganda narrative completely ignores this. Or perhaps "ignores" is the wrong word; "buries" might be better. They bury it because it's expedient to do so. Obviously, this happens because the WW2 victory IS the unifying mythos of modern Russia - you touch on this here when you raise the question about how all the different communities in Russia can see themselves as Russian in the modern day. From the outside, it does very much seem as if May 9th is the only truly national celebration, and it's useful for the regime to encourage a militaristic mindset among Russians in general. "For the Motherland" - we hear it over and over again, in video after video. So many Russians seem to be so easily persuaded that attacking somebody else's motherland is really just defending their own. Most Russian contract soldiers seem to sign up for the money. How much easier it must be to persuade them to do so if they can tell themselves that killing people abroad is actually a wonderful, honourable, heroic thing - "defending the Motherland". What a dystopic horror this is. I weep.

[@stephencuffel4932]

Forgotten also is the USSR's complicity in dividing up Poland and the Baltic States with the Germans in1939.

[@ИринаЛукьяненко-ь3ъ]

@@stephencuffel4932 what about Poland and Germany in 1938?.Should I remind what they did?.Besides, Germany and Slovakia started invasion on September the 1 st Russia entered the west Ukraine, the ( east Poland ) September 17 th

[@grahortarg9933]

@@ИринаЛукьяненко-ь3ъ What about Whataboutism, eh? :)

[@FromRussiawithvideo]

In fairness almost everyone does this.

[@ИринаЛукьяненко-ь3ъ]

How many Americans were killed at WW 2 That is the point My GrandDad was killed. March 14 th 1943 aot the front What about Ur relatives?.The other GrandDad was badly wounded and died soon after the war That is why we DO remember that WAR I live in Evpatoria, Crimea 12560.city's residents were shot by Germans The city had population. about 50-60 thousands before the war The locals helped the sailors who.landed here on January 5 th 1942 to pull away some German troops from Sevastopol.Evpatoria is 100km away from Sevastopol Come here and visit memorials , see the photos of 35 th battery defenders in Sevastopol U might get something What city was defended for 250 days in the US? UK? France ? In Volgograd ( Stalingrad).there is an ordinary house that was defended longer than the French army defended the country What city was surrounded by Germans on the US ?People were starving but the city didnt surrender There are no such cities in the US, UK or France but there is Leningrad in Russia Find out about Brest fortress in Belorus All those facts are beyond Ur understanding .

[@bobbiebellinger8415]

Merry Christmas from Chicago to the beautiful community and my dear friend Vlad.

[@tages_matuna]

Merry Christmas 🎅 to you too from Europe

[@mirekslechta7161]

Britain on a good day could deploy 30, maybe up to 40K troops. That is the number of killed Ukrainien soldiers just in the small Kursk area during the recent fighting.... Did you know that soldiers in the British Army are resigning faster than any new ones can be recruited? So the numbers are going down!! And to talk about this army as something relevant…? Please…. , calling Brits poodles would be an insult to poodles, okay?

[@wolfgangemmerich7552]

Merry christmas from Schaumburg county / germany to our ancestrys in Schaumburg county / Illinois / USA .

[@principetnomusic]

The myth was being somewhat deconstructed back in the 2000s. When I was studying in school, I was taught about the annexation of the Baltics, about Katyn, and about the Stalinist repressions in general. Now they are sweeping everything under the rug again.

[@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u]

"Now" from what period?

[@principetnomusic]

@@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u From around 2010s onwards. But especially after 2022 when the new Medinsky history textbook was revealed. They are whitewashing every single Stalinist crime.

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

Meanwhile, Churchill is swept under rug since WW2 and never got out. Good old Churchill...

[@_amalfitano]

Merry Christmas to everyone! Gemütlichkeit vibes despite everything.

[@suzannstrohmaier2578]

Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄 😊

[@chopperwitz]

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all. Thank you Vlad for bringing this community together.

[@Bluefox1978]

Nice to see up “vertical” instead of “horizontal” 😊

[@VladVexlerChat]

Thank you so 🌻

[@judyweeks1480]

Happy Christmas, Vlad! Cheers to a better New Year!

[@VicfromOregon]

Merry Christmas, Vlad and beautiful community. Very interesting talk, Vlad. Thank you! Much to think about. And parallels to early colonial America are profound…which we still struggle to grow out of.

[@tiamat_023]

Glad to see you vertical, friend! Happy holidays, V! ❤🎅

[@kristinfrostlazerbeams]

The comfy sweater makes me happy.

[@VladVexlerChat]

🌻

[@Li-Fu7]

Along with the Christmas music and warm lighting. Vlad is looking cozy for the Holidays

[@AstroGremlinAmerican]

Being comfy is so important. Thinking about atrocities and injustice around the world is not comfy. Palestinians would like clean water to be comfortable.

[@drotsky]

Happy Christmas Vlad and thanks for all you do .

[@englebertschnook5106]

Hi Vlad, I got to know you this year and I am the better for that. So thank you and I wish you a very hopeful and happy new year and of course good health.

[@maximfrancescozoni5252]

That you so much Vlad. I wish you a merry Christmas and an happy new year with great health. Lots of love from Italy.

[@tages_matuna]

Merry Christmas Vlad, lots of love 🎅 🎄❤

[@VladVexlerChat]

Lots of love!

[@careyfreeman5056]

Poland, 1939. Had a chance to stop WWII from ever happening by standing with France and England, but just couldn't resist the urge to Russia. This is my response to the constant moaning about Russia's "sacrifice" from the likes of Putin and others. Yes, the great sacrifice that never had to happen if Russia could just stop being Russia for a minute.

[@HireTargets]

How could Poland stop WW2? Poland DID ally with France and UK, no? And what has that have to do with Russia's "sacrifice"? Please elaborate.

[@Facelessdudex_x-ch6ck]

​@@HireTargetsbecause they enabled Hitler by collaborating with him?

[@BasilBeaton]

"Russia" offered to stand with France and "England" against Hitler before 1939. It was rebuffed because Britain and France wanted Germany and the USSR to fight each other. The USSR wasn't in a position to fight Germany alone, so it bought itself time.

[@soar-mb7ln]

Literally this. It actually breaks my heart seeing ppl who aren’t from post soviet countries misinterpret all that is happening now and defending imperialistic russian point of view. Saying something about nationalism and not realising that nationalism in USA and in said Poland for example are coming from different context and have absolutely different form. It’s so sickening that a lot of folks can’t simply put two and two together and educate themselves a little bit about history of Slavic countries. Not seeing that russia has been doing same thing for long time. For some reason it’s easier to say nationalists are bad and not even read a bit about reasons why ppl want to have THEIR COUNTRY TO THEMSELVES without freaking matryoshkas poking their noses and trying to control every area of your country’s life. Nor they ever come to russia and see for themselves how ppl live there in places beyond couple of major cities.

[@careyfreeman5056]

@HireTargets Are you dense? Who said Poland?

[@HyperFocus410]

Yes, as a side effect of defeating Germany in WW2, the Soviets saved the Baltic states from possible genocide by the Nazis. But they never gave them freedom. In fact, they took away their sovereignty. That is why the Baltic states initially welcomed Germany. The fear of Russian annexation was a larger issue that was always in the background for these nations. The actions of Finland, Ukraine, and Lithuania in WW2 make sense when viewed in the context of their troubled history with Russia. This is not a Stalin and Putin issue. All the nations that were previously part of the Russian empire are constantly at risk of being annexed again. The Soviets only left Finland alone because a bully prefers an easy target. The Winter War proved that the Fins could fight back and were willing to engage in a very brutal and long war. That is why the Soviets didn't try to annex Finland after WW2.

[@GodwinGodfather]

Soviet never wanted to annex Finland, they only need a buffer zone to protect st Petersburg, which they did and Finnish neutrality.

[@HyperFocus410]

@@GodwinGodfather Nah. That was just an excuse to start the process of annexation that they also used in the Baltic states. The full invasion of Finland exposed their true intentions. That invasion was about annexing Finland, and they threw everything at it. Soviets only accepted a peace deal as it was getting too costly for them. They likely thought, leave it for now; we'll come back later. But they'll always remember how difficult it was. The Finns did the right thing by refusing that initial request. The subsequent brutal war that took many Russian lives and risked the involvement of other countries is the only reason the Soviets respected the peace deal and left the Finns alone after WW2. The Finns preserved their sovereignty with that Winter War.

[@ArchOfficial]

@@GodwinGodfather Yes they did. They have invaded Finland 72~ times to try to annex it.

[@ArchOfficial]

@@HyperFocus410 Russia was massing up for a second invasion. They didn't respect any peace deal. Finland counterattacked into the lost territories in 1941 and captured much of Russian territory, and was forced to give up even more Finnish territory and become a de-facto soviet vassal state for a few decades after it. Finland also paid all the reparations to Russia, the aggressor. Up until now in soon to be 2025, Russians have been trying to Russify Finland and have always looked for good opportunities to invade. They never left Finland alone, they just keep getting beaten back.

[@sztallone415]

@@GodwinGodfather tell me why the mighty USSR needed a buffer zone from an already pretty neutral Finland with a population like 3.6 m in 1930's

[@begr_wiedererkennungswert]

Wishing a beautiful and very bearable Christmas to you all! 🧡

[@suzannstrohmaier2578]

We got lots of beautiful snow...haven't seen such great snow in 25 years...too long in California 😂

[@begr_wiedererkennungswert]

@@suzannstrohmaier2578 Hey, that's great. Finally. 😊 May have a tiny chance of snow tomorrow when I'm visiting former Hessian Siberia. Not so much Siberia anymore thanks to climate change.

[@suzannstrohmaier2578]

@begr_wiedererkennungswert yes my parents in Iowa also have been having milder winters ...also this summer major heat waves in southern Europe ...really bad

[@macmcleod1188]

Merry Christmas. Glad you are in better health right now.

[@TreforTreforgan]

You’re a good lad, Vlad. Merry Christmas. And have you considered giving out free hugs wearing that jumper?

[@ukupunkrock3981]

Happy Festivus Vlad, thx for all you're doing for us all the time!

[@masterluke3407]

You look soo much better. Merry Christmas to you and yours.

[@bastogne315]

Very beautiful Aran sweater!

[@freespiritable]

Hello Vlad from Albania. Happy Holidays! Glad to see you doing better.

[@empireempire3545]

Merry Christmas and lots of health Vlad! Lovely room you have there : )

[@ruthwolfer4154]

Happy Christmas to you dear Vlad with your very beautiful pullover

[@charmquark6366]

Yes, a beautiful pullover indeed, with elegant diamond pattern and shawl collar for extra warmth! I always wondered who knitted it for Vlad. Also the other crocheted brown pullover, or jumper as he’s called it. Made with love for sure!

[@normanlaxton]

Merry Christmas, Vlad !

[@barmalini]

Thanks Vlad, happy holidays and Merry Christmas.

[@Grant_S_M]

Thank you and happy Christmas, Vlad ❤

[@kernowpolski]

Enjoy your Christmas in the countryside Vlad - much love and blessings. xxx

[@Ukedc259]

Merry Christmas Vlad 🎉

[@trleith]

Happy Christmas, Vlad! Have a cookie!

[@RuneDrageon]

Wishing you all happy holidays, if you like them or not and enjoy the time with the people you love.

[@WonderMagician]

Hi Vlad, Happy Holidays. Thanks for taking the time to speak on this very difficult subject; myths are ingrained in us from very early childhood in not so subtle ways. Yet to be we need to become aware of them and be able to recognize them for what they are: mythsare the glue that holds us together.

[@MrDermotMcDonnell]

Greatly appreciated as ever. Happy Christmas 👍

[@kevinfarrellUK]

Merry Christmas, Vlad. May the season be kind to you! :))

[@GSXK4]

A country with a chicken on its flag can never beat one with a fork on its flag.

[@cernel5799]

It's a bird, not a trident.

[@bjornstahle4652]

You've not heard of the Robot Chicken?

[@sergeyk6782]

Our prays for fork country doing better than last months

[@axl1002]

Chicken, fish and women only with hands, no forks.

[@adamski-l5w]

Merry Christmas Vlad. ❤ from 🇦🇺. Thank you for all your discussions throughout the year. It has been very helpful in a tumultuous time.

[@RCSVirginia]

The Ukraine/Russia war has allowed the nations of Eastern Europe and the Baltics to thoroughly purge the mythology of the Great Patriotic War from their public spaces and culture. There may be sympathy and support for the Soviet role and actions during World War II and its aftermath in Western Europe, but there is very little in most of the countries that were occupied by the communists.

[@oleksiyraiu7190]

It was the tragedy of the WW2 that defined the tragedy of USSR and Russia influence in the world today, acting as a world's ulcer, that while German fascism was condemned, Russian fascism, being in a victor's league, was not addressed. Now it took generations to settle, and is hard to cure at this point. Its an uncured chronic disease at this point.

[@BojanPeric-kq9et]

Was US racism condemned? No. Large scale destruction of civilians? No. Germans were whitewashed and turned into a parody. So, why Soviets except for personal grudges?

[@mariarucci78]

Merry Christmas from north Italy ❤🇮🇹❤️🇬🇧❤️🇺🇦⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@lorenzcassidy3960]

You beat me to that by 1 scarce minute! Greets from Emilia - Romagna oblast. 💙💛🔱💪

[@mariarucci78]

@ you kidding, same here Parma oblast

[@lorenzcassidy3960]

@@mariarucci78 Greets from the other side of the Enza river... Square head here! 😅👋

[@mariarucci78]

@ ah ah vero, why do they say that? Cheers mate

[@Epaminondas371]

Merry Xmas Vlad and members of the Beautiful Community.

[@eruno_]

Exploring Russian "pobedobesie" phenomenon is very interesting, thank you Vlad

[@EvgeniyYakushev-m2u]

How hard it must be to talk about this when your side didn't win.

[@slimski]

Happy Christmas to you Vlad

[@thomassparrevohn8577]

Happy Christmas and thank you for all your work ❤

[@risin-]

Merry Christmas Vlad..always a pleasure to listen to you..

[@katherinegolightly271]

Season's Greetings Vlad!

[@ChristinaMuzzu]

"The dying is the point"...that is so dark and so true. Solovyov every night.

[@u.v.s.5583]

How can you wake up and look at yourself in mirror if you cannot say I died for mother russia?

[@randallreed9048]

Fascinating discussion to observe a Russian perspective. Perhaps I missed it, but as a student of WW2 for the last 65 years, I am curious as to what your SUMMARY of the myth would be. I am aware of the Russian invasion of Poland, Stalin's invasion breakdown, Katyn Forest Massacre, the Winter War, and so forth, but what is the basic untruth that has survived the 80 plus years since the end of that war?

[@marianmichalski]

Sovietistan has been for me the most vulgar and primitive place on this planet... I lived almost 27 years under their occupation and I have absolutely nothing good to say about them all though I have a great Russian friends in Canada..go figure 😅

[@TK13M]

"and I have absolutely nothing good to say about them" You just made yourself a stupid person.... An idiot really. Remember, you can't NEVER SAY ABSOLUTELY NOTHING GOOD about anything that Soviets ever did.... NOTHING. Absolutely NOT A SINGLE THING! Or you are a liar... And so on dishonest, absolute idiot.

[@u.v.s.5583]

Me too lived under soviet occupation; I wouldn't go to such extremes as saying "most vulgar and primitive in the world", because the oppression actually created extremely vibrant and fascinating underground which was everything but vulgar or primitive, but I am certainly very happy that soviet union collapsed.

[@danielpaschjr3547]

Thank you Vlad because sadly this year, I am one who is struggling. First off, my poppop, us dying of cancer ar 82 and I've not seen him in 5 years and it's practically impossible it seems. Merry Christmas, or Happy Holidays to, you. Joel

[@bluefarie10]

Great to hear from you, Vlad. Take care.

[@Lagstudio12345-K]

Joyeuses fêtes Vlad!

[@ElGoblinno]

Vlad, jus wanna say I love when you are in your own element. When you are angry, when you are staight to the point, I think it elevates you to the next level.

[@TheShortStory]

Very merry Christmas, Vlad!

[@item6931]

Man, you are inviting the bot farmers' wrath with this one! My brother worked with some Russians about 20 years ago so visited a couple of times when they returned home for holidays. He said that their view of WW2 was still front and centre in their national consciousness to the point that it was like a religion. Especially the sacrifice and victory elements that you mentioned. I'll add that he said they were very hospitable and treated him very well.

[@RiteMoEquations]

He's definitely at risk of being targeted by a swarm of Russian bots and useful idiots in the West.

[@cshairydude]

It has to be said that this was also true of the UK until very recently, especially in relations with Germans - see the Fawlty Towers episode "The Germans" for a satirical view. The "Britain stood alone against Germany" narrative, which ignores the contributions of the rest of the empire and of exiles from occupied countries (especially Poland) before the USA entered the war, has only been seriously challenged in the public consciousness in the last decade or so.

[@danielcreamer9669]

Happy Christmas vlad! Good health through your holidays!

[@the_grand_tourer]

The plant likes you as much as we do and wants to be your friend.

[@DRNewcomb]

Merry Christmas, Vlad & community.

[@johnstanczyk4030]

War is always one of the best Christmas topics because everyone thinks the war will be over by then.

[@StephenKing-m1t]

Happy Christmas Vlad. Another excellent broadcast. I think the Russians would do well to accept that WWII as the rest of us call it, started in 1939 when Hitler, followed very soon after by Stalin, had both their armies invade Poland and carve it up between them. The selective Muscovite memory appears to pin the myth of the Great Patriotic War 1941- 1945, starting with Operation Barbarossa, with the Soviets as the victims of Nazi aggression. No mention of the pact between the two states, no mention of German military training in Soviet Union to circumvent Treaty of Versailles, no mention of Katyn massacre. Reality check required by all and a coming to terms with Russia’s role prior to 1941.

[@tscully1504]

I have heard the myth several times and am surprised at it's deviation from accuracy knowing that the full story is readily available. But then have to check myself and qualify it by adding 'in english'. Putin's version is particularly annoying, minimalizing as he does the material aid Russia received while allies were fighting first the Japanese down before engaging against both the Germans and Japanese simultaneously.

[@TK13M]

" while allies were fighting first the Japanese down before engaging against both the Germans and Japanese simultaneously." You do realize that Soviet Union was in the Allies? And Soviet Union was the major force that took down Germany, ending the WW2. And they made Japan surrender in Pacific War after that....

[@ImperialDiecast]

@@TK13M its cute you think they took down germany due to winter and manpower. it's the allies who carpet bombed german manufacturing to smithereens that made those meat assaults work. along with american equipment sent via iran and arkangelsk.

[@TK13M]

@@ImperialDiecast You do not understand that Soviet Union WAS THE ALLIES. And Lend Lease was nothing to Soviet Union military budget, it helped on critical moment when factories were moved and there was a pause because of that, as every day with lower production was affecting things, so having all things running again in couple weeks was help, but not major or turning one. And you are happy that allies killed mostly just civilians, as they couldn't fight the military. So they purposely targeted the civilians only. And that was done primarily by other Allies than Soviet Union.

[@ImperialDiecast]

@@TK13M soviet union was axis in all but name until the betrayal in 1941, because ever since molotov-rippentrop had they not only had informed each other of polish invasion asearly as summer 1939, but in 1940 also invaded estonia, latvia, and lithuania.

[@robertbrennan2268]

Merry Christmas Vlad! Illuminating...

[@rachelatwood9555]

kkkkhello extra fuzzy sweater Vlad!

[@VladVexlerChat]

Fuzzy Christmas khhhhhello Rachel

[@terryhand]

Happy christmas Vlad!

[@xmoose9]

Merry Christmas Vlad! This is the coziest sweater I've ever seen btw. First time heard you speak russian here btw, impressed me like a piece of magic for some reason. Wish you feel better and glad to see you up and in good spirits very smiling, cheers to your health

[@sharronchatterton739]

May the new year bring you relief and joy in this planet we live upon. From 1986 - 2006 I was crippled by an awful virus, robbed of clear speech, my spleen bulging, fluid on the brain, an exhaustion/inertia like being a wet sand bag, body pain and so on. Pure food, rest, patience, admiration for my poor struggling body, and a yielding to it brought me the beginning of slow slow recovery. Twenty years later I am 75 but well. I never lost my joy in living, albeit in this 'new' body. I hope your body can overcome its enemy and arise smiling. With gratitude and warm recognition.

[@charmquark6366]

Merry Christmas from unusually bone-dry Southern California! I look forward to more of Vlad’s message in 2025 with your health permitting. I wish for Vlad’s heart recovering and becoming stronger. By the way, I am very curious about the music going on in the background. If you don’t mind, could someone tell me what it is?

[@conaccento]

Merry Christmas from Stockholm and Bucharest and thank you for the moments of intellectual grace and generosity of soul that you share with us.

[@daviddunne4737]

WW 2 survival and the Soviet Union ..................2 words ATLANTIC CONVOYS . How many sailors died on the Arctic convoys? Sixteen Royal Navy warships were lost and 1,944 Senior Service personnel were killed, while 85 of the 1,400 merchant ships which took part in the Arctic runs were sunk, a loss rate 17 times higher than in the Atlantic campaign. More than 800 merchant sailors died. Their sacrifice was not in vain. Is it ever mentioned in Russia ? Excellent point ................lesser or greater evil . Russia is held together by propaganda and ' an alternative history ' , much like Trump's ' alternative facts ' . Cheers Vald . Happy Christmas from Dublin .

[@BalthasarGelt-x2d]

The battle of the Atlantic is heavily overlooked though. If Germany were free to just import oil from overseas, the war would have gone much worse for the Soviets.

[@daviddunne4737]

@BalthasarGelt-x2d Totally agree. The whole Atlantic campaign and Atlantic Convoys portion of WW2 is very often sidelined. The Atlantic was a complete war all on its own, separated from the land war but having a huge bearing on the terra firma operations. Regards.

[@GodwinGodfather]

​Us and Britain has no chance against Germany 6 million soldiers which the Soviet crushed, they only beat 200k German soldiers, and claims they won ww2.

[@MTerrance]

Thanks!

[@tompabay8721]

Merry Christmas

[@rndompersn3426]

I think before even WW2 Russia had fascist inclinations ie the Black Hundreds.

[@neilclay5835]

Merry Christmas Vlad. Very best wishes to you.

[@suzannstrohmaier2578]

Hi Vlad...happy holidays...Greetings from Serbia...hoping for a white Christmas and sending many prayers for peace. 🙏

[@LenQuerido]

Merry Christmas, Vlad. We're all glad to see in such a good shape! 🎉😀

[@theuntouchable7277]

Happy Hanukkah everybody

[@malcaniscsm5184]

Lookin' good in that sweater, mate :)

[@1GoodWoman]

Hi Vlad. The YT algorithm brought you to my attention. I visited USSR late 1970s. When you reference myths I absolutely understand. The compliant population shocked me. There was no independent thinking with action at all. Raised as an educated American able to read anything I could get my hands on, go into nature at my own choice and still be safe, be able to choose and test things like a simple recipe on my own and ask basically any question I thought to ask my awareness of power and control was quite sensitive because I had not experienced it intellectually at all. Years later working in an American hospital I had the ability to independently verify many lad tests within my own department and lab. Trust and verify is a concept totally natural to me…and then stories. I use this idea to conclude that history, all history, is stories. So if we change the stories to be…we are all humans living on the same physical place, Earth, we need to find ways to do this together better we might al survive. Please get beyond your narrow Russian think. You are now fluent in English and can help develop a new real perspective.