Why are south Slavic Balkanites more sympathetic to the Russian people compared to the other groups?
Posted by LazyScheme9618@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 31 comments
I'm just enquiring based on this poll I'm conducting. I know it isn't super accurate and I don't want negatives, racism, xenophobia or any ethno-nationalistic rhetoric just please kindly your objective unbiased opinions so I can read them.
Please.
If I've made any mistakes don't insult, educate me. Many thanks.
tipoftheiceberg1234@reddit
I honestly think I identify with Russia more culturally than I do with Slovenia.
Ukrainians haven’t really shown themselves to be the most sympathetic people tbh. Whereas hearts go out to the poor people experiencing war around the world because of how helpless and vulnerable its victims seem, Ukrainians have managed to remain… well, incredibly cunty despite everything.
The Russian people have suffered much. They are frequently misunderstood. I don’t agree with Russia’s actions at all, I wouldn’t live in Russia, I think the regime is a dictatorship and I’m wildly critical of many aspects of it.
But they keep the pan-slavic spirit alive, and they look favourably upon Bosnia and Herzegovina and consider us “one of them”. Which is in my opinion, of utmost importance in modern day BiH.
RedScarySpectre@reddit
I just don't get why can't Kosovo be as lovely as Bosnia.
Additional-Peace-809@reddit
Holy fucking soy, they most definitely are fast majority aligned with their government, most think the Russian government is holding back not terrorizing Ukrainians more.
Also the Russian government is the biggest government on earth that is trying to destabilise the balkans and specifically Bosnia…
The only pan slavism Russian support is the one where they take over all other Slavic countries, it’s the reason their Slavic neighbours fucking hate their guts.
LazyScheme9618@reddit (OP)
You're talking about the government we're talking about the people. I'm sure as someone from Kosovo you'd be highly aware of the difference in how a government and individual people are. There's history between your country and Serbia but do you hate everyone in Serbia and should all Serbians dislike you for simply being born where you are? How many people are actively political and engage? How many people just exist who don't know any better? So I ask you do you sympathise with Russian people or something and can cognitively separate individual people from their government. I'd assume that you are an individual unique to yourself and wish to be judged for you and who you are as a person?
Additional-Peace-809@reddit
I just don’t care about whatever you’re talking about because it’s absolutely not relevant.
Russians started a war of imperialism unprovoked 12 years ago. Ukrainians are dying daily fighting against it. I dont give a fuck about being nice to ordinary Russians when they sit at home and the only complains they have about this war is that they’re losing access to their social media/internet.
You can sing kumbaya all you want but know that’s a privilege you have because you don’t life in a country at war.
tipoftheiceberg1234@reddit
They will never take over Bosnia and Herzegovina, I can almost guarantee that. So any cultural exchange and cultural likening I’m very receptive to. In any case, better them than Turkey.
whiteoba@reddit
I actually agree with you on everything but the pan-Slavic stuff, which I couldn’t care less about.
tipoftheiceberg1234@reddit
Oh it is very important for modern BiH. It’s the only card we have to save our image
PreWiBa@reddit
Lmao
LazyScheme9618@reddit (OP)
I agree, I just ask because I work with a russian she's very nice, and as I stated I've seen what hating people and generalising can do but I wouldn't need to explain to a bosniak. P.s. have the best cevapi in Bosnia 🙂
oops_all_memes@reddit
Because the majority of people who left Russia are against the war, so more likely to be described as "nice". So it doesn't surprise me that the countries targeted by Russian exodus have more favorable views of Russian people
The truth is the majority of Russians couldn't give a fuck about the war. They don't give a fuck about anything that doesn't concern them. And very little concerns them due to wage slavery
I remember I talked to a guy in Turkey and he blasted me with "Aren't you Russians rich?". I asked him what he thinks the median salary is in Russia. I want you to think of the median salary in your country, imagine what median in salary is in your opinion, let it simmer for a few seconds, aaaaaaaand it's \~$400 (depends on exchange rate, today it's probably closer to $500, will rebound shortly). An average Russian has salary close to an average Albanian
An average Russian just doesn't have the time and energy to think about anything that doesn't directly concern them. It's fucking sad but that's the reality
Early-Show2886@reddit
oh yes a bosnian cevapi is hot...really Lecker !
NetHistorical5113@reddit
You can see the map of the Polis Lithuanian Commonwealth lol
RedScarySpectre@reddit
And Kosovo. Jesus they make it so easy to like serbs. Always on the wrong side.
toffi_99@reddit
It didn't extend to Romania & Bulgaria
LazyScheme9618@reddit (OP)
I got down voted hard for saying most of the red is in that region and asking if it's because their Russophobic
Snoo-19350@reddit
You would also be Russophobic if you were under the Russian boot for centuries. It's the same reason a lot of countries dislike Turkey because of the Ottomans.
Ok_Win8049@reddit
What I "love" about the Balkans is that it almost fetishizes the concept of holding a grudge. Russia's shit is at least contemporary, but the Ottomans haven't been a thing for century and some people are still butthurt about it. The funniest thing, the most liberal and forward looking nations of Europe, the Scandinavian ones...Denmark and Sweden have waged against one another more than most Balkan countries have with each other, and yet they buried their hatchets a long time ago.
SerbianMonies@reddit
More like the Warsaw Pact
RedScarySpectre@reddit
I voted Yes Other because I think Russians are just a neglected child in need of love from moma Europa.
RedScarySpectre@reddit
I voted Yes Other because I think Russians are just a neglected child in need of love from moma Europa.
idontknowwheream@reddit
Russia fought with their biggest oppressor- ottomans
That's simple
Stealthfighter21@reddit
You would be shocked to see how many Bulgarian Turks post russian propaganda on facebook
berbat88@reddit
But, Turks are -almost- more positive towards Russians than those who are 'oppressed', how do you explain that my friendo?
LazyScheme9618@reddit (OP)
I argued that Eastern Europeans would be more sympathetic having had all lived through oppressive government that fed people propaganda. So my argument is you can't really know if the people are "bad" I don't agree with some governments and political stances in the Balkans but I don't hate the people.
I argued in regards to Bulgarians and Romanians being treated rather negatively because of Brexit the things people were saying but I personally knew and worked with many Eastern Europeans and they were some of the nicest people I've met. Especially Bulgarians and Romanians and Croats and Bosniaks
But this isn't a sentiment or view shared by some westerners from my anecdotic personal experience.
But the question is about you Balkanites and the difference towards Russian people. My Croatian and Bulgarian ex's were never very pro Ukraine nor anti Russia as opposed to my polish or Baltic friend's
colonel_vgp@reddit
I don't know about your Bulgarian ex, but if you ever met a Russian on the Bulgarian seaside, you would know, there one of the most self-centric people there is. Some UK assholes might've acted with prejudice, but they didn't have a 45 (++) years of basically stomping us and brainwashing us with how dependent we are of them. They did the same brainwashing back in Russia the other way around, which ended up on Russians feeling like something more than everyone else from the Eastern block, even to this day.
If you look at the map and see how mostly the Warsaw pact countries think Russians are responsible (not just their rulers), this confirms the theory. That's what USSR did, much like why Yugoslavia fell, when pro-serbian government tried to take over the whole union/country.
ivanp359@reddit
I personally disliked Russia way before their 3 day operation.
Citaku357@reddit
Let's not pretend that majority of Russian don't support the war in Ukraine
Macedonianboss@reddit
Maybe cuz they don't have the same historical experiences with Russia? I mean Croatia and Bulgaria have vastly different(in a better way for them) history with Russia. They were never under Russia directly like Poland and the baltics(Bulgaria was only behind the iron curtain but not directly under the USSR like the baltics). So generally there's not as strong feelings towards Russia as in countries like Poland .
sjedinjenoStanje@reddit
Probably because they're not under immediate threat themselves. It seems countries who were victimized by Russia, directly or indirectly, take a harder stance towards the Russian people as well.
Empty-Pace-4228@reddit
As a Crimean Tatar whose forefather have been the victims of the Russian Aggression; I don't have any problems with Russians as a people. I wish them the best. I just want their army out of Ukraine.