traptunderice wrote@emperor: would you mind elaborating on what you think of as the problem within Russia?Without knowing much about the sociological conditions, I could suppose something and spout it off but that would be dumb. V will teach me modesty.
Russia (and other parts of Eastern Europe) is facing a population crisis unlike ever seen in the modern world. The dangerous far right reaction is due to the fact that ethnic Russians are literally drinking themselves to death, with massive immigration of Central Asian Muslims testing the very element of 'Russianess'. Putin and friends have offered baby incentives, but as far as I know, little has worked. The late Soviet system challenged vodka sales as a chronic plague to the health of the nation, but those plans miserably failed against popular and state store protest.
The death of this poor kid will be one of many, unless Russian national identity can be reformed.
Edit-I wrote a paper on Russian national identity last year, trapt. It isn't directly related, (more on historical identity) but may have some interest to you.
