Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • across Russia's former empire.

  • We're seeing seismic change in Belarus people Power is challenging a dictator who is being propped up by Moscow to the south.

  • Armenia and Azerbaijan have bean a war.

  • Add to that a revolution in Kyrgyzstan.

  • Onda new pro Europe president in Moldova on the result is one huge headache for the Kremlin.

  • Vladimir Putin still sees much of this part of the world as Moscow's patch its zone of influence.

  • But is that influence ebbing away well here in the South Caucasus, where Russia has bean the major power for 200 years?

  • Today it has competition from Turkey in the war over the gonna Cara back.

  • It was Turkish support that helped Azerbaijan defeat Russia's traditional ally in the region, Armenia.

  • I think that what happened in Karbala is truly a geopolitical catastrophe for Moscow's influence, not Onley in South caucuses, but across what remains off the post Soviet space.

  • Moscow's grip on the region is becoming weaker and weaker way talked to the Russian peacekeepers here.

  • They seem wary of Turkey's intentions.

  • Traditionally, Russia has guaranteed stability here, the peacekeeper says, while other countries I mean Turkey trying to destabilize the situation, we try to improve things.

  • Russia wants to be seen as the key player in what it views as its own backyard.

  • And having the Russian military here helps do that.

  • But in this former part of its empire, Moscow has arrival.

  • Now, as Turkey seeks to boost its influence in this region and for Moscow, the geopolitical challenges extend far beyond these hills.

  • Yeah, in Moldova, a pro Western politician, Maya Sandu, has won the presidency, defeating the pro Russia candidate.

  • Moldova is one of the poorest countries in Europe, but the Kremlin still wants it in Russia's orbit, its Soviet past.

  • But close proximity to Romania make it an almost inevitable stage.

  • The East West rivalry.

  • Recently, Russia accused America of plotting a revolution here.

  • Objective is to get closer to you on, hopefully one day to become a member of the European Union.

  • But when Russia let that happen, when Russia let your country join the it's our it's our choice.

  • In the end, it's the it's the sovereign decision off our country is the decision of the Republic of Moldova.

  • Moscow still has ways of exerting influence of slowing down change in some parts of the old USSR, And yet Russia to is changing.

  • It's having to.

  • It's on a journey from empire to nation state.

  • For a country with a superpower past, that is a painful transition.

across Russia's former empire.

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it