Laas Leivat: Post-war Russia must be de-Putinized

Putin’s contrived de-Nazification intent has been ridiculed world-wide. However, de-Putinization deserves serious consideration.

Vladimir Putin has been stoking the flames of aggressive ultra-nationalism for two decades. It’s an intrinsic element in the self-identity for a substantial share of the Russian public. Imperial U.S.S.R. died, but the notion of and imperial Russia has survived and even gained ground under Putin.