Putin deplores collapse of USSR

President Putin: Russia will pursue its own model of democracy
Russia's President Vladimir Putin has described the collapse of the Soviet Union as "the greatest geopolitical catastrophe" of the 20th century.
Mr Putin's annual state of the nation address to parliament was broadcast live on Russian television.

He said the break-up of the USSR in 1991 was "a real drama" which left tens of millions of Russians outside the Russian Federation.

He also said Russia must develop as a "free and democratic" country.

But he stressed that Russia "will decide for itself the pace, terms and conditions of moving towards democracy".

"We are a free nation and our place in the modern world will be defined only by how successful and strong we are".

Critics accuse President Putin of concentrating too much power in the Kremlin, pointing to controversial changes in the way provincial governors and parliamentary deputies are elected.

Reinvesting in Russia

Mr Putin also said Russians who had saved money overseas should be encouraged to return capital to Russia.

He called for a flat 13% tax on all undeclared revenue.

"Tax authorities have no rights to terrorise business," Mr Putin said.

Massive demands for back taxes crippled Russia's largest oil firm Yukos - and its plight has alarmed many western investors.

Monday's speech was Mr Putin's second state of the nation address since he was re-elected by a landslide in 2004.

His wide-ranging speech also touched on the government's efforts to combat terrorism. He called for "radically new approaches" to tackle the threat, which he described as "still very strong".

"The moment we display weakness or spinelessness, our losses will be immeasurably greater," he warned.

I would have said the collapse of Imperial Russia not the Soviet Union was bigger.

Imperial Russia lasted for over 500 years where as the Soviets who replaced it not only murdered more people than Hitler, also spread their evil revolutions to countries through out the world in it's 70 years, killing millions more, ie Mengistu of Ethiopia to name but one. I for one do not mourn it's passing.

I cant imagine how crap the world would be if the USSR was still around...

Hes a communist at heart. Russia has been playing off against the West for yonks now and people still keep calling us freinds.

I would have said the collapse of Imperial Russia not the Soviet Union was bigger.

Imperial Russia lasted for over 500 years where as the Soviets who replaced it not only murdered more people than Hitler, also spread their evil revolutions to countries through out the world in it's 70 years, killing millions more, ie Mengistu of Ethiopia to name but one. I for one do not mourn it's passing.


yes IMO theres no doubt that the Soviet union under Stalin was the worst country in history.

Imperial Russuia was pretty apalling as well though - in many repects it was a mediveal backwater.

Russians had only been free from serfdom for 50 yeasr beofre the Tsars were thankfully got rid of. Pretty much every Tsar except maybe Peter and Alexander II were incompetant, immoral or both.

yes IMO theres no doubt that the Soviet union under Stalin was the worst country in history.

Imperial Russuia was pretty apalling as well though - in many repects it was a mediveal backwater.

Russians had only been free from serfdom for 50 yeasr beofre the Tsars were thankfully got rid of. Pretty much every Tsar except maybe Peter and Alexander II were incompetant, immoral or both.

I agree Imperial Russia had many faults.

I agree with your choice of Tsars, especially Tsar Alexander II. It was one of the saddest things in Russia's history when he was assasinated, as he was close to signing Russia up to more political reforms to make Russia a constitutional monarchy.

I think if this had happend then Russia would probably have a Tsar today as a non political head of state and millions of people would not have died - still that's "what if's for you".

I still think Russia without the 1st world war would have evolved into a constitutional monarchy with a political system like ours - god I wish we could go back in time and stop the 1st world war from happening - so much of what we live with now and over the last 85, all stems from that bloody war.

I've just checked, hell it's even worse then I thought, Tsar Alexander II was within hours of signing a constitution before he was assassinated that would have given Russian political freedom, - it really was that close.

Was there gonna be a referendum on that constitution? :D

He was on his way back to his palace to sign he bleeding thing when a bomb was thrown at his carriage (bomb-proof). This bomb injured several of his company, and as he got out to help the injured, a second assassin struck.

Bastards.