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people fleeing. political. talks to history professor. about the legacy of the soviet union and the rise of nationalism in a supposedly multicultural europe. jeffrey roberts professor at university college of course an island thank you very much for being with us today thank you so here in russia there are two dimensionally different takes on sterling some say he was a great guy who won the second world war and he actually gave the country an immense post another state actually he undermined the economy which led to the

eventual collapse of the u.s.s.r. what's your take on that when stalin dawoud winston churchill is reported to have said that stalin found russia with a wooden well and he left it with atomic bombs and i think that statement sums up stalin's achievement was to modernize the soviet union to urbanize a so you need to dust your license so that you can to build the foundations of a country that was able to withstand the german invasion in one thousand nine hundred eleven go on twitter picture of fascism and also the foundation for the post-war rise of the soviet you to a nuclear superpower you know if russia is still a great country. with an important role to play in the world and enormous potential for the future it's because the foundations that were laid during start of time now having said that of course there could be lots of questions and discussions as to

whether or not this modernization of russia had to have been as brutal as it was because of course modernized russia but you know in the post-war russia the pre-war russia as well but starting was also responsible for the deaths of millions of people taken over. discussion about the cost you can have a discussion. about time tips about whether or not different courses of action and events would have been. perhaps more effective than the ones that starving starving pursued. but nevertheless in the end it's a historical fact that. the soviet union was successfully modernized under stalin albeit one i have a very brutal basis so the cause of the collapse really is to blame on other leaders they came after stealing whether that was because that's just to help or to my course is that the system that stalin built them which consisted of

his death ok when he died. some are more brutal aspects the system disappeared such as the mass terror but sensually it was still style the system but i system was a very defective system in many ways it was those defects in the end result. in the collapse and also the mentality you know that stalin sort of try to establish and said that you needed the mentality that he left after his death was also to blame for the collapse at the end of the day you know well it depends what kind of mentality you're talking you know stalin was a communist he believed in socialism he believed in a communist utopia he believed in the soviet system he believed that the soviet union was a model for the whole the whole world no one doesn't have to agree with his beliefs for that reason but one has to recognize the power of that region and the power of everything was very very important in the historical development of the sort you

before starting with a life and then subsequently because what happens is go which of comes along and he questions and challenges that traditional soviet self image and attempts to reform the system inquire radical way and the result of course is the. the eventual collapse of the system talking about sterling as a political figure and i guess people in the west mostly know him as a man who lacked pressure to win the second world war i see here for us at home there is no doubt that we won the war without russia second world war would not have been won are there doubts in the west about that and how is there a genuine interest actually in the west to really find out about the role of russia and how it really wrecked their work today while there are people in the west who would want to do more just russia or the soviet union's role in winning the second

world war well because it's uncomfortable true for them to face up to this whole for a terrier socialist communist regime under this dictator stalin was responsible for tito to defeat a few of our men and in fact was responsible for as opposed to nazis well the the the those kind of people also tend to have the view that there was no great difference between nazis among commons and when that started there that were just as bad as each other but i don't think that would be the most prevalent view of the most prevalent view will be one that would recognize the differences between nazis of course and the differences between hitler and stalin and hitler was a far more dangerous dictator for the world than starving ever was so i think and i think there is now there is creasing recognition of the soviet role in winning the war and of course there are always people who who want to present a different view present a distorted view of the events of the second world war so you are someone who knows

a lot about it and who studied stalin you wouldn't say that at this point in the west there is a deficit of knowledge about stalin and his world and russians role in world war two but there's always a deficit of historical knowledge as deficit of knowledge about the world not just in the west also in russia a. but you know i don't think that deficit is to grow. as i said i think there is now a days much much greater recognition of the soviet role in the second recognition of the soviet role in the second world war more recognition than people in russia actually recognize because to what your science moves something the russians royce and white why don't they recognize our role in when the second world war and i was there to actually most people most people do particularly since the end of the cold war during the cold war there was just all of your logical struggle going on and thought that i'd look was an effort by western cold warriors to did no i the

reality of the soviet role in defeating nazi germany and their western cold war is to exist and they're still making the same kind of arguments but they're not as widespread and effective as they used to be yet you would think that people from that war are still alive and the memories of that war are still so fresh you'd think that would learn our lesson but then you see these huge nationalist dressing up in europe what's to blame well that that's that's not the extreme right movement in europe ultranationalist in the national journal is not a new phenomena are recent not know it's true that recently. the political influence of national gnashes of its very strong particularly the more extreme forms has grown in various countries of europe. i think that has mostly to do with the economic and political problems but europe is. facing at the moment which poses

a dollar for it to know the whole future of the european union i think is also part of we've thought you know as time goes on the war you know receipts from men and memory becomes a much more distant event and the more time of that says. the more possibilities there offer people to you know which. and distorted accounts. of the war so i think it's partly a function of of the distance we've got to travel from war to partly explains. this development of nationalism out for national mystery nationalism in europe but then because the moment the main reason it's a do with contemporary politics i know economics robert that. history now and that's that's not to say that history isn't important course because there are many many lessons of history which are open to the contemporary crisis seem relieved face the worst crisis that here are right now is experiencing if that is

to last or get worse that will also. but it would also incite that they rise of more national nationalist sentiment i think there is there is a great danger of that if the eurozone collapses the e.u. collapses the most likely. it will be replaced by different forms of national. question is what forms an arson some extreme and dangerous take on herself i think there are great thank you nicholls that's the historical lesson of what happened before the second world war particularly in the nineteenth for that is where you had a similar crisis there will be going from now on the result. of the rise of notions of extreme nationalism into europe on the. emotions of a number of the four terrible fascist. regime so that so the less there is a historical lesson there is that there is a great danger that develops now i don't see is by any means being. simple i

think the difference between now and then is that democratic culture democratic institutions are much stronger in europe than they were before the second world war so i'm confident i'm hopeful that european democracy can subodh its current across do you think talking of democratic institutions to think that a politician with anti-democratic views could rise to power through those democratic institutes but that that's exactly what happened in the case of hitler didn't it and that's what happened in a number of other countries in europe but before and all for the second world war so it's it's a distinct possibility that it will be a challenge it will be a test of western democracy not just western democracy but european international democracy kind of if you survive the challenge of a kind of nationals in which chemicals for

a life in conditions of economic collapse and political disorder could sticking. together as a united europe maybe work as a magic pushing against president nationalists i don't think it's a part of the cea. but i sincerely hope that the european union doesn't collapse because for all its faults the european union and what it represents is much much better than the ultra nationalist. alternative. who knows what's going to happen. i think it's possible the european union will survive and i hope it does support and if i were russian if i would russian i would actually be hoping that that's the case as well because the collapse of the on the rise of extreme forms of nationalism in europe is going could pose the question if you can challenge for russia from roberts thanks to you.

russians would be soo much brighter if you knew about someone from phones to crash and it's. nice for instance on t.v. don't come.

the headlines on r t fighting rages on in syria's key city of. the rebel. government troops say they're preparing to hold their offensive. some calls for a humanitarian corridor. the violence is stemming from foreigners from all. the world's top might not need to go to sweden after all. agreed to. question. the embassy instead of south american countries he said to be seeking assurance to. be extradited to america. and with. his corporate giants who are grabbing the gold people fleeing london's traffic jam political controversy. let's get to the sports paul joins us now.

thank you very much for and welcome a long way to the world of sports here is what we've got coming up the time after seven years of planning the twenty twelve london olympics officially begin later on friday. in the way ahead of those gangs are teammates soviet swimming legend dr you may sell a week of to see what he makes of russia's chances in the pool. the italian job former england manager fabio capello is on the veiled as the new manager of russia and i aim to lead them to the world cup in brazil. however there is only one place to start and that's just hours to go before the opening ceremony at the london olympics russia has sent just over four hundred

athletes with the mission of bringing back twenty five gold medals but it's not just on the podium where the country intends to leave its mark with more from the english capital his andre pharma. after seven years of planning and at a cost of fourteen billion dollars london is finally ready to stage the biggest show on earth and russia has arrived here with the i'm a finishing third in the medals table the majority of the squad on ice settling into the athletes' village based at the olympic park in the north east of the city that is where the majority of medals will be won and lost over the next two and a half weeks and to give us a flavor of what it's like up there is that you've ample flipped over sparsely furnished just behind me there will be five ten thousand sportsman and official state individual hoarsely games including the four hundred also russians these two thousand told me i don't walk around. but we could go also but again as i was very very impressed with the whole sense that it was a much improved from beijing years ago that's all now face to. face with the press

or. someone who speaks the truth so help us really we should enjoy this story speaking small but not competing for russia will be hoping for a more improved performance of the vancouver games ok that was winter olympics this summer olympics russia something they'll be hoping to try and get around twenty five gold medals and try and seal third place in the middle table over all i mean to trying to match the likes of china or usa of a moment just for believe much not realistic but certainly they can hold on to first place that will be a very good spurs all the russians now after the russian athletes have finished their events you might actually see them in the west end of london at either the russia park or it's sort she will to explain more is constantine petaca. during the olympics there will be a little bit of russia in the center of london the queen kindly allow the russians to host events in one of the royal parks kensington gardens you can go to russia

park well last minute preparations are being finished with a chance of meeting one of the russian athletes and just. have some fun at concerts and on nothing the russian culture and if it's too hot you can chill out at such a park that presents the next winter olympics visitors of the venue will be able to see preparations for the olympic games watch figure skating shows on an ice rink and explore what the city has to offer so plenty to look forward to but not everyone is happy because some london is all grumbling about the traffic restrictions in the center of the city during the games did they have a point well over the dunya has been gauging the mood but the nation. have come to one of london's most famous places to bulger square by now the way people feel about the upcoming games and some olympic innovations the point is that the cd has gained some special olympic lanes linking olympic venues and making sure athletes

and officials get the runs on time there are also some restrictions to the way roads can be used by common drivers especially in central london. the traffic will be gridlocked in and around central london. they have a really full of well where the traffic going to go as long as you're limping family can get around london can suffer and it will suffer till the twelfth of august so it's very very good it's going to be something which i will never see again i guess and it's we're very lucky so despite some little difficulties that may be the expense of german people being part of the olympics is just priceless while the weather alone is enough to make you cheerful at the moment because after the wettest june on record it's been lovely here in london over the last couple of days let's hope that continues for the opening ceremony on friday and beyond but whatever happens come rain or shine we will be here to keep you updated on russia's progress over the next seventeen days of competition andrey farmer are taking

london now staying on the olympic fame and moving to russia swimming prospects are tayside down and gauge the thoughts of the monster in the waves that's four time olympic champion. i got this positive energy from my favorite movie. star was excellent and they say the force should be with you and i actually. i was every time i see some some little thing speech not maybe. not right i was thinking. before the final i saw the clouds in the sky and all the sky became gray and dark and so i thought ok this is a good site so the four skiving to me and i showed my best.

during this race a lot of my pictures from my life were possibly in front of my eyes it was the most difficult race of my career was a couple of websites are very painful and i was you know conscious but you know i keep myself. if i go down to the bottom of the pool so nobody really have to live so i just trying to you know keep some kind of sense of humor some kind of sense of control and i found that i really could control my body hundred percent but at the same time it was extremely. pleasant feeling that i could feel every cell of my body but second feeling was ok probably i will get this feeling again in the next three years because i knew before that it's going to be my last. you can be wrong in your predictions and i don't like to make any so i can only say

we have changed. in really. in women's backstroke and. so my pollution is all going to get into the final result so this result will be good enough so there will be a medal but i cannot. get into the boy. now elsewhere and in football form a new manager fabio capello has finally signed a two year deal to guide russia to the world cup in brazil they sixty six year old italian replaces dick advocaat who left after russia failed to make it past the group stage at this summer's euros capello stepped down as engelen coach in february in protest against the f.a. stripping john terry of the captaincy the italian has won the league title with every club he's managed including real madrid ac milan and rome i'm given to us

russia will host ivory coast in a friendly next month before kicking off their world cup qualifying campaign with a double header against northern ireland and israel in september. with just one. i believe i can create a fantastic golden center to have experienced and young players playing together but also i fundamentally believe experienced players must be a part of any young and aspiring team as they can provide the necessary passion needed to move forward now capello's appointment has prompted a swift response in russian football with new locomotive managers giving the italian the thumbs up. i think it would be good for russia. to him because he's got one big advantage and the one big quality he's workaholic and he. was just a couple of teams here in russia you definitely have a lot of potential a lot of quality players here going to be afraid to take a player. if he thinks he's good enough and i think that is what lacks

or elect in the last ten years. meanwhile guus hiddink and jay have eased into the third qualifying round of the europa league they won the second leg of their tie with f.c. hundred four nearly in budapest to claim a five nil aggregate samuel eto scored twice side the side of goals by troy or ryan although shatov next up for the magical our side is vitesse of the netherlands. and finally just four days after winning his second open championship golf ernie els is back in action this weekend on the other side of the atlantic the canadian open getting underway on thursday the big easy afforded only five practice holes after winning at royal lytham and st annes last weekend he finished his first round on two over par that's ten shots off the league it's american scott pacey who sat on top of the leaderboard he's the man to catch after shooting a course record eight under par sixty two that is all from the world of sports an

obvious plenty more later here on r.t. the world weather is next for. well the truth science technology innovation all the moves developments from around russia we've got the future covered. more news today violence is once again flared up. these are the images the world

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the sky. and mind.