That would be a nice claim if they developed the area they already own to an extend that could be described as „amazing“. The reality is, nothing is this country is amazingly developed. Not the actual ground. Not the education. Not the social structures. Not the rights of the citizens. There is no plan, no idea and no concept to use the already existing sprawling land to develop it into something great. There is no vision, only autocracy.

Instead what this claim means is two fold:

Putin desperately wants to export the “russian system” of disillusionment into the world. Putin wants to transform the area around his country into a fertile soil for his ideology to make his (flawed) system becoming an accepted modus operandi.
For a big part of Russians citizens, it is important to identify their Russian country as on par with a world power like China or the US. The “big war” of 1945 and its outcome shaped the understanding of Russians for decades on how they view themself and their country. There is nothing to be proud of other than that “they won the war”. Nothing in the last 80 years comes close to it. Especially after the fall of the Soviet Union. The claim in OP picture is therefore a deposit into that mindset, that russia is great and their influence (like China and the US) do not stop at the border. The only difference is: China and the US would never say this loud. It is counter productive for the goal to openly admitting that. But russia has to openly tell it, as their real tractions and gains in that regard are minimal and can only be made visible by stating that they are indeed on par with the other super powers - even though they were not even able to logistically manage a war just in their neighboring country. Their influence rapidly drops with the distance. Georgia, Syria and Ukraine are the most the can fight in. For Africa only light infantry can be supplied. There are no big bases, no logistic hubs in geopolitical strategic places crafted in the last 100 years in foreign diplomacy. Yet, because of that, is is important for russia to just pretend all that. For the believe in their greatness.

[–] skydivekingair@lemmy.world 14 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (2 children)

I agree with a lot of this. The one exception I would like to mention: I as an American am impressed by Sputnik, Laika, Strelka and Belka, Yuri Gagarin, Valentina Tereshkova and a whole host of steps in the space race that I believe is why we are where we are today in space exploration and satellite technology. They aren’t leading the pack now but they were, maybe recklessly, for a good chunk of the beginning.

*as an achievement in the past 80 years if that wasn’t clear what I meant. ✌️

[–] Gloria@sh.itjust.works 11 points 10 months ago* (last edited 10 months ago) (1 children)

As mentioned above: those time lasted for 5-8 years, was 70 years ago and was a achievement by the soviet union, not russia. When the brightest minds from poland, ukraine and kasakzhan come together, great things can be achieved. Russia alone was never and will never achieve goals like that on their own. Unions can achive big things when well educated people from different cultural backgrounds come together like in the US or EU. Imagine what a pacified, organized annd educated middle east Union from Egypt over Teheran to Kashga could come up with. Maybe in the third quarter of this century. Or in the next century.

[–] skydivekingair@lemmy.world 5 points 10 months ago

Yeah I guess I was talking about the USSR responding to the “they won the war” and last 80 years I thought you were using Russia/Soviets interchangeably until the fall of the Soviet Union.

[–] hydroptic@sopuli.xyz 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Tereshkova is a piece of shit imperialist and Putinist (there's a reason she's sanctioned by the EU and US) who was sent to space to further the Soviet political agenda and not due to actually being good at anything. Her only merit was being shot into space on command, she was never exceptionally good at anything

[–] skydivekingair@lemmy.world 2 points 10 months ago

She doesn’t have to be good, it showed that women can go into space and was yet another benchmark the Soviets achieved first. I’m not saying who or how they did it was particularly heroic, just that it was humanity’s first steps into the stars.

[–] Thisfox@sopuli.xyz 2 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Well, other than their incredible successes in the space race.

Which they aren't doing now, but saying nothing since 1945 is a bit innaccurate.

[–] Gloria@sh.itjust.works 7 points 10 months ago

That was not russia. That was the soviet union. People always forgot how rich the education and science was because the brightest minds from poland, over ukraine to kazakh came together. They were not all russians. Big parts of the russian culture when it comes to music and ballet were significantly shaped and directed by ukrainian born artists. You should not make the mistake to think the soviet union was russia. That is what Putin wants people to think - including their own citizens.

[–] efscher@lemmy.nyc.what.if.ua 10 points 10 months ago

Until that changes, neither will the pain for Russians.

[–] petrescatraian@libranet.de 7 points 10 months ago

question at Radio Yerevan:
- Who does Russia border with?
- Whoever it wants.

[–] morgunkorn@discuss.tchncs.de 4 points 10 months ago

So it's either everywhere... checks notes... which is not, so it must be nowhere.

Lasha Tumbai!