Russian officials used to joke that liberated states ‘were doing it their way’. Thirty years later, Vladimir Putin has taken his country back to the imperialism, autocracy and isolation of the Soviet period.
“Congratulations/commiserations on being on the Russians sanctions list,” read the text message from a colleague. That was how I found out that I am now on the Kremlin’s enemies list – banned from entering Russia.
The realisation that I might have made my last visit to the country made me think back to my first trip in 1987. It feels like Russia has come full circle – back to the autocracy, aggression and isolation that defined the Soviet era.
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Financial Times
Gideon Rachman is chief foreign affairs columnist for the Financial Times. His particular interests include American foreign policy, the European Union and globalisation.
