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Comment by major505 | Hacker News Reader

Countries like Kazakhstan, serve russia as a buffer state from the Nato influence. If near countries start to align with the west, Russia will start to feel personally attacked.

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Yes Kazakhstan is critical to buffer Russia from NATO influence in checks notes the People's Republic of China.

-- "buffer state" bullshit brought to you since 1939 --

Do they still need Finland as a "buffer state" [1]?

[1]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winter_War

Winter war was successful in a sense that it moved Soviet-Finnish border away from Leningrad. A few months later when Germany attacked USSR and Finland joined it, that extra space saved Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) from total destruction.

> A few months later when Germany attacked USSR and Finland joined it, that extra space saved Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) from total destruction.

Yes and no. Had the Winter war not happened, Finland wouldn't have joined the German attack.

This is such a cold war mindset that I have trouble believing that it is actually still the case. It seems overly simplistic.

It is not. If it wouldn't be true, why then US incessantly unleashes "revolutions" in all countries around Russia? Why US invests millions of dollars into rusophobic propaganda in all countries bordering Russia? Why US attempts to build military bases in all the countries that border Russia?

If it's all just a "cold war mindset".

That foreign nations are inciting revolutions is Siloviki rhetoric, used by authoritarian regimes to justify surveillance and arrests of their opposition or at least undermine their support by the public.

And this is exactly what we are seeing in Kazakhstan: people riot over increasing cost of living and the president blames it on foreign agitators. Because that is easier and more convenient than actually engaging with the issue.

> That foreign nations are inciting revolutions is Siloviki rhetoric

Not always.

See for example "US Army Field Manual FM 31-20-3, Foreign Internal Defense Tactics Techniques and Procedures for Special Forces". This one is outdated and was based on US operations in Central/South America.

I'm sure Russians have something similar.

> It is not. If it wouldn't be true, why then US incessantly unleashes "revolutions" in all countries around Russia? Why US invests millions of dollars into rusophobic propaganda in all countries bordering Russia? Why US attempts to build military bases in all the countries that border Russia?

Complete waste of resources from US side! Russia is very successful at making people in ex-USSR countries hate it as-is, making western propaganda completely redundant! But I know a lot of people who actively participated in Maidan revolution and are still waiting for their dirty CIA $$$. Hopefully Obama will pay his debts some day...

> who actively participated in Maidan revolution and are still waiting for their dirty CIA $$$

I participated in both (2004 and 2014). Where do I register for the "dirty CIA $$$"? I somehow missed it during the original briefing.

That's precisely what Putin is doing now, threatening Ukraine and insisting NATO commit to not admitting Sweden, Finland and Ukraine in.

I understand. Russia is no doubt pressuring Ukraine but I don't know if that's because they they want a buffer or they just don't want a stronger NATO.

I don't think Ukraine, Sweden, Finland would significantly strengthen NATO. If anything, Ukraine is a liability (huge border with Russia and practically in war with them, territorial disputes about Crimea, etc.). The way I understand it, Putin doesn't want any more NATO members on Russia's borders, aka a buffer between Russia and NATO.

Which is exactly what is happening in Ukraine now. Their attempts to align with NATO have Putin freaking out, with much saber-rattling & troop movement.

Buffer from what? Kazakhstan doesnt border Nato countries.

They do not care if Kazakhstan enter or not NATO. Is enougth if this countries are not stable so they became a Russia problem. I`m not saying this crisis have CIA handprints, but this skirmishs force Russia to put money, manpower and resources to apease it`s allies.

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