Thread by @alastgleaming

@imax9000 This thesis is blatantly pro-russia. It acknowledges Dugin's extremism, but advocates for another form of #russianColonialism:

"a Russian-led ‘big space’ is not only a preferable, but the only possible option for a successful future of the observed region."

@imax9000 At 64 pages long, you might feel uncomfortable at how often it raises russian talking points, like "NATO expansion".

@imax9000 The author's made much of her interview with Dugin, and indeed his Nazi-esque extremism is noted. This was just before some of his most famous statements for the #genocideOfUkrainians but it was already clear what he was.

@imax9000 Yet the author still discusses other forms of Eurasianism that are still very much russian imperialism, and intercompares with the Monroe Doctrine in terms of their success for russian objectives.

Russia's *success* keeps coming up in this paper.

@imax9000 This was written in 2013. The author was not oblivious to the fact that russia had interfered in Ukraine's politics.

@imax9000 One can read this thesis for some time wondering why the the discussion of Eurasianism, whether Dugin's genocidal form or others' discussed through a Muscovite lens with little perspective from the "ex-colonies".

Academic rigor or author's opinion as to whether it's "credible"?

@imax9000 As @imax9000 brought up: the author has an opinion.

"The creation of a Russian-led 'big space' is not only a preferable, but the only possible option for a successful future of the observed region."

An ending like that has to shape the interpretation of the whole.

@imax9000 This is similar to the "Moscow is inevitable" kind of narratives that russians pressured Ukrainian officials with. @olex_scherba writes in "Ukraine vs. Darkness" that when russia attempted to hijack Ukraine through Yanukovych's corruption that he was approached with such.

@imax9000 @olex_scherba Given all this: why would russian Eurasianism in *any* form have support from a Ukrainian journalist?

What Ukrainian would see "spheres of influence" in terms of the hegemon's success instead of their country's freedom?

@imax9000 @olex_scherba After sharing it with Ukrainians for their take on it, I agree with them, I it makes no sense for a Ukrainian in 2013 to miss the impact of a "russian-led big space" meant. Chechnya, Georgia, and Yushchenko were proof enough.
rferl.org/a/1071434.html

@imax9000 @olex_scherba The Kyiv Post has been a hotbed for russian talking points. After driving out some of Ukraine's most respected journalists, it admitted open russophiles like JJS onto its staff who've conducted character assassination on Ukrainians.

https://twitter.com/AdrianP_doc/status/1564963048703631360

@imax9000 @olex_scherba More about the Kyiv Post here.

Hijacking Ukrainian support with stealth Kremlin narratives is highly damaging to Ukraine, and it corroborates much of the so-called "drama" we've seen. It's not drama. It's a calculated attack.

twitter.com/i/spaces/1RDxl…

@imax9000 @olex_scherba The thesis in question may be found here. Remember: if you read the last page first, and then read from the start, you can be much more clear on the author's intent here.

This was a pro-Eurasian thesis.

That's a horrible take for Ukraine.
docslib.org/doc/1173977/by…

@imax9000 @olex_scherba This isn't quite the same analytical challenge but likewise - a pro-russian both-sides take from someone whose help getting Trump elected let russia do enormous damage.

https://twitter.com/abstractedaway/status/1582777822934085632

@imax9000 @olex_scherba @threadreaderapp unroll