First of all, the name of that nation has been sullied, so perhaps it's a good time to consider a new name. The name of Russia has become a byword and a curse in much of the world, not much better than "Mordor" of Lord of the Rings fame.
How about NovoVisantia. New Byzantium.
Russia aspires to be The Third Rome. So be it. But identify with Byzantium instead of the commonly misunderstood Ancient Roman Empire which most westerners think ended when Rome in ancient Italy fell to the barbarians.
Byzantium. The Height of Orthodox nationhood.
Russia needs a new beginning, IMO while holding on to what is best in her current form.
Perhaps a new civilizational model might be helpful.
If The Lord Tarries in His Second Advent, and we live to see another 1,000 years of history, what should Russia be then?
Perhaps Russia should seek to draw millions of English speaking Orthodox and orthodox Christians to her shores in a New Christendom. She could build a Bi-Lingual Holy Kingdom. English is the primary tongue / Lingua Franca of the world. Russia should turn this to her advantage. Persecuted Christians from the United States, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand can find new freedom in NovoVisantia.
English Christians have been shorn of their homelands. A new homeland is in order. Much as the ancient English fled the Norman Invasion and became members of the Varangian Guard and citizens of a Christian kingdom, so dispossessed Anglican Christians and Western Rite Orthodox Christians might start anew in a new Holy Kingdom. NovoVisantia!
Devout Christians of other stripes could have a new home in NovoVisantia as well, but would need to honor Holy Orthodoxy and not denigrate or fight against it. In return, NovoVisantia would guarantee their freedom.
A formula would have to be reached in guaranteeing Eastern Orthodoxy protection and influence while also protecting the Non-Orthodox as well. A Holy Covenant could be subscribed to by The Nation and her new peoples. Heterodox Christians free to live their lives and practice their faith without tearing down Orthodoxy.
And by all means Russia should forge an maintain an alliance with the nation of Hungary.
Russia should seek to become a Righteous Camelot. A Righteous Kingdom, as opposed to an Unruly and Unrighteous Empire.
I am praying that Russia "partially" wins the war in Ukraine and that she humbles the arrogant and woke west.
It will be a Pyrrhic Victory, but still a possible long-lasting and potentially positive outcome.
I am praying that God's will be done, but perhaps in the following manner.
A negotiated settlement forced by Russia on Ukraine and The West in the following form.
Ukraine survives as a nation. A nation that can prosper and be rebuilt, but with promises not to seek revenge on Russia for the war, and not to seek reconquest of Crimea and The Donbass. A Neutral Nation that never joins NATO.
Ukraine gets Odessa In Perpetuity. Russia gets Crimea and The Donbass In Perpetuity.
This is a just outcome for the war. Ukraine survives and rebuilds as a nation, with a valuable seaport to help with that process. Russia gains a buffer zone in Crimea and the Donbass that is as much CULTURAL as Locational.
Ukraine wants to go its separate way, having been seduced by the illusion of The West and it's declining freedom and righteousness. So be it. Ukraine can live with what it has chosen!
Russia indeed needs to change and be renewed, but in righteousness. As outlined in my previous post, Russia has an opportunity to become a new home for a new Christendom, but she needs to break up her fallow ground first.
This war has exposed her many shortcomings. Corruption, Top Heavy Leadership, and unjustified brutality in conducting the conflict. These are things unworthy of a Christian State.
I recently learned that the Confederate South, the land of my ancestry, refused to wage "Total War" against the North ultimately burning only one Northern City in Pennsylvania. In part, this was the philosophy advocated by Robert E. Lee, who as an Anglican Christian refused to fight the war in such a manner.
The North under Sherman subsequently waged total war in his hated "march to the sea" and the unjust concept of Total War took firm root thereby. Many Southern Cities were burned and destroyed as a result. The concept of Total War survived into World War II, causing terrible destruction. The evil concept of Total War in it's modern sense has been with us ever since. This is a deeply Unchristian development.
Russia has likewise waged Total War. This must never happen again, but in order for such a future outcome, Russia needs to be strong and use that strength wisely and justly. NovoVisantia will need to refortify and rebuild after this current conflict, but WITHOUT designs on Eastern Europe or further expansion of an empire. Russia has plenty of land and resources and doesn't need more to make a good go of things. Russia is still the largest nation on Planet Earth.
Statecraft is the art of driving the hard bargain without being unduly destructive. This Russia failed to do in this current conflict IMO.
In the process of doing waging a truly just war, you must hold the moral and ideological High Ground and never relinquish it. This seemingly Russia has also failed to do, only winning part of the world to her cause instead of winning the large majority of the world to her position vis a vis the West (primarily the currently corrupted United States of America and her influence in the western nations).
An entire Philosophy and Manifesto of Just War needs to be developed by Russia so that the atrocities she is accused of perpetrating and has indeed perpetrated never occur again in her history.
With the current modern tools of Social Media and News Coverage available, publicity campaigns can be successfully waged without giving up the moral high ground through non-christian and non-Orthodox practices in war.
One thing Russa might have done differently was to march to the borders of Donbass and Luhansk and simply fortify there without causing destruction, THEN starting a relentless broadcasting campaign defending her position and daring Ukraine to respond.
Then it would have been solely Ukraine conducting aggression if she chose to attack military instead of negotiating. Alternatively, Russia could have offered to purchase the contested regions outright in a "Louisiana Purchase" scenario which would have cost her and Ukraine much less financially then this destructive war. Now with rebuilding costs across the entire nation of Ukraine, and with the cost it will take to rebuild Luhansk and the Donbass, it ends up being much more expensive than an outright purchase would have been! And we won't even mention the 200,000 plus lives lost unnecessarily!!
Left over Soviet warfare practices and philosophies need to be firmly discarded by Russia and something new, wise and virtuous needs to arise in their place. Statecraft as a lost skill and art form needs to be recovered along the lines of the types of creative proposals listed above. Russia didn't even try such alternatives. What might have happened if she had?
What favors did the Soviet Past ever really do to Russia. The second World War / The Great Patriotic War was waged by Russia in spite of her Soviet shortcomings of the time. Soviet philosophy and presuppositions be permanently damned going forward!
So, Long Live NovoVisantia! May Russia truly become a new Third Rome and a new Camelot.
All of these thoughts are probably fanciful, but nothing ventured, nothing gained. A fellow can dream of better outcomes and pray to that end. New thoughts can always be put forth into the world, and let the chips fall where they might fall.
May this terrible war end soon!
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