Source: Wall Street Journal               Date: August

Former USSR Statesman Mikhail Gorbachev called the current Russian government a poor imitation of its communist predecessor and said the nation is “going backwards.” This statement comes 20 years after the collapse of the USSR. Unfortunately, this anniversary does not afford many achievements as a nation or a democracy.

Many Russians are unhappy about the course Russia has taken and regret supporting former president Boris Yeltsin, reported the Wall Street Journal. They believe Yeltsin's administration invited corruption and dishonesty into government, which has further down-spiraled since Yeltsin's predecessor Vladimir Putin took office in 2000.

The former KGB Colonel, who commented that the fall of the USSR was a colossal geopolitical disaster, introduced many familiar policies harking back to the Soviet error. Complaints against human rights violations and of a stifled press filled Putin's term in office and have lingered within his predecessor Dmitry Petrov's era. Currently, Putin serves as Prime Minister to Russia, and many believe his is the true force guiding the nation still.