Good News!

I don't know how many of you were following the Russian sub disaster for the past few days, but it is my pleasure to announce that all 7 sailors were rescued unharmed. You can read about it here.

Looking back 5 years ago to the Kursk disaster, this is quite a change in Russia. Not only did they save the men on the trapped sub, but they did it by asking the international community for help. It was in fact a British rescue sub that freed the trapped Russian sub. It is also pretty clear that if Russia had not acted so quickly to ask for help that the sailors would have died.

As a Russian major, had a bit of a history buff, I am very impressed with Russia's actions. I think it shows some good improvement as far as Russia's history is concerned. Russia is not really known to ask the international community for help. During the Soviet and Post-Soviet period, this is not that hard to imagine. With the former you have the Iron Curtain and the USSR's fears of the West, with the latter you have that lingering fear along with Russia's pride as a former superpower. But, you may be surprised to know that Russia's record of dealing with the world goes back before the revolution of 1918.

During the Tsar era of Russian history there is you have a big theme of Russia struggling with acceptance as a world power in the West against the desire to keep with traditional Russian life. This caused a lot of xenophobia and resentment towards the West, and (especially after the defeat of Napoleon) a feeling of superiority.

This whole development is probably much more interesting to me, but you should at least note that Russia is most likely more open to the West and the international community in general than ever before.