A Dangerous Misconception: How the „Failed Modernization“ Narrative Misreads Russia’s Ambitions

The author critiques a Denník N article arguing Russia expands militarily due to an inability to modernize, calling it a flawed thesis. The article's five key claims are substantively incorrect: the Soviet Union/Russia did achieve significant, albeit costly, industrialization; historical Russian/Soviet expansion parallels other empires and was ideologically, not economically, driven; the 2008 Georgia war did not involve Russia "seizing" part of the country; Russia's 2022 invasion aims at specific regions and not subjugating all of Ukraine and reflects Russian fears from NATO expansion; and in contrast to authors's thesis, Russian leadership has denied plans to attack other European states. The critique advocates for more rigorous, evidence-based geopolitical discourse in media.