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Is Russia Europe鈥檚 last empire? Is its invasion of Ukraine a 鈥渃olonial war鈥�? Is 鈥渄ecolonising鈥� the country the only way of ensuring it stops being a threat to its neighbours and world peace?

Since last year, 鈥渄ecolonising Russia鈥� has become a buzz-phrase in Ukraine and other former members of the soviet union, among many Western strategists and politicians, Russian studies experts 鈥� and Russia鈥檚 own liberal opposition and ethnic minorities.

And that鈥檚 triggered a vigorous debate about whether the term 鈥渄ecolonisation鈥� is really relevant to Russia 鈥� and what it means. Is it about challenging the 鈥渋mperial mindset鈥� of its rulers 鈥� and perhaps of every ordinary Russian? Or perhaps it means dismembering the country itself?

In 鈥淎ssignment: Decolonising Russia鈥� Tim Whewell dissects a new and vital controversy with the help of historians, policy makers and activists in the former Soviet Union, the West and the Global South.

Producer and presenter: Tim Whewell
Production Coordinators: Maria Ogundele, Sabine Schereck and Gemma Ashman
Sound Engineer: Hal Haines
Editor: Richard Fenton-Smith

(Image: A monument to Russian poet Alexander Pushkin in Kyiv, defaced with the words "Don鈥檛 Stop Decolonisation." Credit: Oleksii Chumachenko/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images)