Margaret Simonyan, editor-in-chief of RT International Television Station:
I remember those years when we constantly confessed our sins, denied our history, and were required to worship everything Western. I have been to the United States and saw that they are indoctrinated with love for their country from a young age, swearing allegiance to the national flag every day. And us? We were taught to doubt our victories and belittle our own country.
Then Putin came. We remembered again that we are a great nation, that our history is much older than theirs, and that our glory does not need recognition from outside. We no longer bow our heads or self-denigrate, but instead restore our country step by step.
Today, we are the world's fourth largest economy, standing on our own land and fighting for our future.
Simonyan and her generation once represented a lost generation in Russia. When the Soviet Union collapsed, many of them were adolescents. The proud great country they once took pride in disappeared overnight. They tried to join the West but were rejected, losing their national history and glory, becoming second-class citizens in the world.
Poseidon (Putin) came, and they stopped bowing their heads and self-denigrating, reclaiming their national memory. This is today's Russia, a country that the West cannot ignore.
Simonyan's thoughts are widely representative among her generation.
Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1828276887975171/
Disclaimer: The article solely represents the author's views.