Moscow hoists Soviet flags at Svalbard
“The tradition has been revived and will live!” Russia's state-owned company Arktikugol has over the last few weeks proudly hoisted Soviet flags in both Pyramiden and Barentsburg.
thebarentsobserver.com
Quotes from the article:
"Russia continues to push its Soviet era politicized nostalgia at Svalbard."
"...evoke ideas of Soviet greatness and historical revanchism"
"The Kremlin mobilizes Soviet symbols and narratives as powerful identity building tools in their foreign and security policy, and the Soviet flag and state emblem are two of the foremost items used to underpin Soviet nostalgia in the Russian population and legitimize the Kremlin's geopolitical ambitions abroad today,"
This information is furnished to those who claim Putin isn't trying to rebuild the Soviet empire. Small examples, maybe, but examples nevertheless. Bigger examples might be taking political control of weak African states, similar to what was done in 1950's-1980's by the Soviets.
