Mart Kuldkepp: Russia is moving towards neo-Stalinism, not perestroika

Ukraine's successful drone attacks are beginning to chip away at the Western consumer and comfort culture that defined the daily lives of Russia's wealthier citizens. This erosion signals a move away from the affluent lifestyle previously associated with the upper echelons of Russian society.

Historian and columnist Mart Kuldkepp observes that this development pushes Russia's societal organization back towards the period immediately preceding the collapse of the Soviet Union. He specifically references 2005, when President Vladimir Putin described the USSR's dissolution as the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century.

Kuldkepp argues that Russia is not heading towards perestroika, a period of political and economic reform, but rather towards a form of neo-Stalinism. This suggests a potential return to a more authoritarian and controlled state, moving away from the perceived Western influences and towards a more insular and state-centric model.