The Bunker – News without the nonsense How the West lost Russia
Jan 20, 2026
James Rodgers, a former BBC and Reuters Moscow correspondent and author of The Return of Russia, dives deep into the complexities of Russia's transformation from a potential ally to a confrontational power. He highlights how Western misconceptions about Russia's 1990s humiliation and failures in policy shaped today's tensions. Rodgers discusses Putin's strategic choices in military conflicts and the implications for global security, emphasizing that reintegration with the West seems increasingly unlikely. A thought-provoking exploration of geopolitics and historical missteps!
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Humiliation Shaped Russia's Return
- Western policymakers underestimated how deeply humiliation would shape post-Soviet Russian politics and society.
- That misreading helped set the conditions for renewed confrontation rather than peaceful integration.
KGB Past Shaped Putin's Ambition
- Putin's KGB background and experience in East Germany shaped his sensitivity to national humiliation and desire for control.
- He returned to a shattered Russia and made reversing that decline his political mission.
1993 Precedent For Political Violence
- Yeltsin's 1993 shelling of the parliament set a precedent for resolving disputes via extreme violence in post-Soviet politics.
- The West's easy support of Yeltsin overlooked long-term consequences of concentrating power in the executive.
