Foreign Policy
Apr 23, 2022 - 27 min
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Who is the real nihilist in this struggle? In the battle between Russia and Ukraine, two dominant characters have emerged. On one side, Martha Bayles contemplates, Putin's invasion is partly inspired by the claim that Moscow - the seat of the Russian Orthodox Church - was the sole remaining bastion of Christ in a world of decay and apostasy. On the other, she reflects on how Zelensky's efforts echo 'Nietzsche's discussion of "monumental history" when an individual with a "powerful spirit" partakes in this variety of history when he or she seizes upon a great deed from the past and uses it as inspiration for bold, creative action in the present.'