I agree that the cultural / historical / political context is relevant when you study a foreign language.

Personally I get overly distracted with it here, as you can tell.. But in small doses, it is necessary and helpful.

I also think that many of you Russians judge your country very harshly; both modern day Russia and the USSR. There were many excellent things about the USSR and you should be proud of that. It's a shame that it didn't work out and that some people were treated unfairly during that period.
As for modern Russia I think it's in a good position for the future, and you are not destroying your country from within quite as fast as we are doing in Western Europe for example. I am referring to morals, lifestyle, non-European immigration among other things.

As I wrote in my other post (Russophilia thread) Russians seem to me more intellectual and philosophical in their outlook than "Westerners". That has to be a good thing, and I think its a legacy from the USSR. Comparing the USA and USSR is a flawed comparison for hundreds of reasons.
The USA didn't have half their nation destroyed and 25 million people killed in WW2.
Russia in 1917 was underdeveloped and stagnated. The USA was young and dynamic full of people with a drive to start new lives. It's not a relevant or reasonable comparison.

It is a privilige, not a disadvantage to grow up without Hollywood, Mc Donalds and commercials everywhere!
People in the modern era in USSR had access to healthy food, free high quality education, excellent recreation opportunities and free healthcare. I think maybe for adults, things could be frustratating with housing shortages and a need to conform with expectations and annoying bureacracy.
But other than that a lot of the things that USSR citizens allegedly missed out on were things that only a minority in Western Europe or the USA could afford anyway.

As for modern Russia: You've got oil, gas, minerals, an educated population, a stable society at last, and you are your own masters instead of USA puppets or under the thumb
of Brussels as we are in Europe. If Russia sorts out issues with corruption and rural poverty, it will be a country to admire, a very attractive place, I think.

A country bigger in size than all of the EU sharing, one language and sitting on a fantastic piece of land, and bordering very dynamic parts of the world. You will probably have LESS problems in certain areas than we will - many European countries are rotting from within due for reasons that are largely self-inflicted.

Unlike many Europeans I have sympathy for the socially conservative values of Russians and I think they will benefit the country.

I don't think that it is by chance that the anti-Russia phobia is rearing its head again, because Russia is on its feet again and is not taking orders from abroad about what to think, or do. So now Russia must be vilified again, and Putin who is clearly appreciated by most Russians is an aggressive and dangerous dictator...

As for the Ukraine events, I don't see that Russia has done anything that seems morally or wrong or seriously hypocritical to me. Russia hasn't killed anyone and didn't start the the Euromaidan or any other aspect of the conflict.