BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR: Russian People Turn Passive in the War, Spurring Predictions That the Break-Up of the Federation Is Inevitable.

All these factors provoke Russians and Westerners to start thinking about a Russia breakup. Washington-based analyst Janusz Bugajski is touring Europe and America lecturing on his new book“Failed State: A Guide to Russia’s Rupture.” Western academics increasingly approach Russia as Eurasia’s last land empire.

A new non-government organization, the Free Nations of Post-Russia Forum, advocates for a breakup of the Russian Federation. It calls for the “decolonization, de-occupation, decentralization, de-Putinization, denazification, and de-militarization of Russia.” Gathering in six forums over the last year, these Russian dissidents, separatist leaders, and foreign supporters draw new maps and brainstorm possible outcomes for Yugoslavia-style break up of post-Putin Russia.

Does anyone calling for a breakup of Russia actually remember what a mess the Yugoslavia breakup was, and at a comparatively tiny scale to the Russian Federation?