Vladimir Putin’s aggressive stance toward the West has reached a new level, with growing indications that Britain is his next target.
In October 2022, Russian forces clandestinely exhumed the bones of Grigory Potemkin, a key figure in Russia’s historical annexation of Crimea. This symbolic act, ordered by Putin himself, underscores his deep obsession with history and Russia’s place in it.
Putin’s motivations go beyond mere political strategy. He is driven by a desire for revenge, a need to restore what he perceives as Russia’s lost glory, and a romanticized view of the past. His Siloviki—Russia’s powerful securocrats—share this worldview, seeing themselves as victims of a Western plot that unjustly stripped Russia of its rightful status on the global stage.
In recent years, Putin has penned several essays, including The Real Lessons of the 75th Anniversary of World War II and On the Historical Unity of Russia and Ukrainians, where he distorts historical facts to paint Russia as the world’s savior and Britain as a key antagonist in its decline.
This narrative has fueled Putin’s animosity towards Britain, which he blames for a series of historical defeats, from the Crimean War to the collapse of the Soviet Union. High-ranking Russian officials have even falsely accused Britain of involvement in events like the Kursk invasion.
