Russians question pursuit of more land amid internal challenges

Why does Russia, with such a vast territory, want even more land — wondered a Russian woman who recorded her thoughts. At the same time, she recalled experiences from many trips she took across Russia, where she was particularly struck by the pervasive poverty and backwardness.

The war in Ukraine has been ongoing for two and a half years now. During this time, many Russians have emigrated, and those who stayed have faced a new reality. Opting to vacation within Russia instead of traveling abroad, they exposed themselves to longer journeys across their country. Leaving the hustle and bustle of big cities, they were especially struck by the widespread poverty and backwardness.

It was these journeys through the "hinterlands" that caused some to reflect more deeply on their country's politics. One Russian woman, who has already emigrated, decided to share her reflections online and directly asked, "why does Russia, with such a vast territory, want even more land?"

As she mentioned, she had traveled across Russia many times with her family, but her last trip to Sochi for skiing made a particular impression on her. It was there that she saw that Russia is incredibly backward in many regions and has not changed since the tsarist times.

We have a huge country. Centuries would not be enough to develop it. So just before Voronezh, we turned off the federal highway [...] and drove through this area, and I had the impression that this region hasn't recovered from the Pechenegs and Polovtsians (12th and 13th centuries) — she said.

After a while, she added that she does not understand why Russia needs additional territories when it is already unable to clean and manage its current expanses. At the same time, many commenters noted that she is a very aware woman, and it is a pity that the rest of the Russians in big cities do not share similar views.