the corollary to this image is that Russia is better or the same in terms of socioeconomics as the West. That is simply not the case and to imply as much is to overlook almost all of Russian/Soviet history clear back to their defeat of the Golden Horde. It is nationalistic by omission, like when the US claims Iran (Persia) has a long history of socially persecuting foreigners and minorities when the US has a shorter but just as violent history of the same, less so in the last 50 years for both nations. It is an attempt to gain a high ground. Don't fall for it. All current and historical govts are flawed, any attempt to put one over the other is wrong. The US may not have killed as many as the Soviets or Mao or the Nazis but the philosophy of killing others to maintain power remains and will not change until people regulate each others behavior through social government.