2023: The Year the Russian Empire Died – A Call to Action for the West by Juraj Mesik

In "2023: The Year the Russian Empire Died," Juraj Mesík provides a compelling analysis of Russia's trajectory following its military defeat in Ukraine. Drawing on historical parallels, Mesík argues that Russia's internal disintegration is not only likely but imminent, echoing the collapse of empires like Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, and the Soviet Union.

Mesík contends that Russia, a "giant with feet of clay," is held together by fragile forces: a repressive apparatus, a mythologized national identity, and the revenue generated from fossil fuel exports. The war in Ukraine has exposed the vulnerabilities of these pillars, accelerating the country's fragmentation.

The author issues a stark warning to the West: prepare for Russia's collapse, or risk being caught off guard as it was after the fall of the USSR. Democracies must not repeat the mistakes of the 20th century, when repeated attempts to rescue the Russian Empire only led to renewed threats to global peace.

Mesík proposes a new policy approach centered on the "5 D's": demilitarization, denuclearization, denazification, decolonization, and the gradual dismantling of the Russian Empire. He draws upon historical lessons from the controlled disintegration of other empires, such as the Austro-Hungarian, Ottoman, German, and Japanese, to offer a roadmap for the West's engagement.

This book is a crucial read for policymakers, analysts, and anyone interested in the future of Russia and its implications for global security. It provides a clear-eyed assessment of the current situation and a call to action for the West to proactively shape a post-Russian world.

Download the book here: here