Their revolution, however, remained isolated so, after fighting and winning a vicious civil war, the Bolsheviks instead focused on building socialism in the Soviet Union. The 15 Soviet Republics that had constituted the USSR became the union’s successor states. It was and is a sentiment shared widely by his fellow Russians, as well as by many living in other parts of the former Soviet Union. Outsiders viewed Russia as the core of the Soviet communist empire, while Russians believed themselves to be exploited by the USSR’s other nations. The irony is that, more than anyone else, it was the Russian people who came to regret the USSR passing into history.

Source: Irish Examiner December 27, 2021 12:35 UTC