All the President's Men....Well, all the Russian Presidents!

I bought these Russian matryoshki (nestling dolls) at the Central Markets in Moscow after Putin’s rise to power in late 1990s. 

The dolls feature (from smallest to largest):

Lenin, the founder of the Russian Communist Party, the inspirer and leader of the Communist Revolution in 1917, and the architect and first head of the Soviet State of Russia from 1917, and later the USSR, from 1922 until this death in 1924.  

Stalin, leader of the Soviet Union upon Lenin’s death, even though Lenin’s last dying wish was not to allow Stalin to seize power.  Stalin was a murderous dictator and sent thousands of innocent Russians to the ‘gulags of Siberia’, but transformed the Soviet Union into a nuclear superpower until his death in 1953.

Brezhnev, leader of the Soviet Union from 1966 until his death in 1982.  Under his leadership, the Soviet Union attained equality with America in nuclear weapons, and superseded America with their space program. Their huge navy and army were the largest in the world.  But, due to this massive spending, he impoverished the rest of the Soviet economy, and the Soviet Union became virtually bankrupt.

Gorbachev, leader of the Soviet Union from 1985 till Yeltsin forced him to resign in December 1991 (the feared KGB monster, Andropov, ruled after Brezhnev until then). Gorbachev was as famous for his birthmark on his forehead as for tearing down the Berlin Wall and dissolving the Soviet Union, hence ending the Cold War with America.  

Yeltsin, first elected Russian President from 1991 until his forced resignation (forced by Putin) on the eve of 2000.  He was famous for eradicating communism and transforming Russia into a democracy.  In December 1991 he and the presidents of Ukraine and Belorussia established a new Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) that replaced the bankrupt U.S.S.R. However, Russia soon became “the Wild Wild East” with mafia ruling the streets, the birth of the oligarchs who grabbed Russia’s riches, becoming billionaires overnight, and a young government of reformers, riddled with corruption, as they attempted to get as rich as possible, as they knew their days were numbered. And they were right – the hugely unpopular economic reforms were a massive failure and Yeltsin’s popularity dwindled away, while the Russian parliament tried to impeach Yeltsin for corruption.  After a second heart attack, Yeltsin, as ever unpredictable, suddenly resigned on December 31, 1999, in favour of who he said was “a new, energetic leader” – Putin, who in turn granted Yeltsin immunity from future prosecution.

Putin – what can be said?? The Cold War is over but a new one is on the verge of starting.  But looks like America is changing sides this time; and its America and Russia against Europe and Ukraine. Since last week's telephone conversation between Putin and Trump and the start of peace talks in Saudi Arabia without Ukraine, Moscow is rejoicing.  A Russian propagandist Soloviev even suggested: Why not create a military coalition between Russia and America and divide Europe? Who needs it? I think it's an excellent idea. We'll set up our bases, without a hitch, at the usual points - Berlin, Paris. Europe will immediately save money on armed forces and it won't have to worry about anything.” “A military coalition between Russia and America to divide Europe” (Soloviev)