This article explores the theoretical origins of modern Russian anti-and decolonial discourse. It has been demonstrated that the roots of Soviet anti-colonial policy are to be found in discussions about the interpretation of the right of nations to self-determination that began among the left at the end of the 19th century. The Leninist interpretation of this concept determined the Bolshevik policy of decolonizing the territory of the former Russian Empire in the early stages of Soviet history. In contrast, Stalin focused Soviet policy on supporting anti-colonial movements outside the Soviet Union and formed the basis of Soviet policy towards postcolonial countries during the Cold War. Although the Russian authorities claim that they are merely reviving and developing the Soviet anti-colonial policy today, this is not actually the case. The research conducted has shown that, on the one hand, modern Russian anti-colonial policy relies on the Soviet legacy and exploits left-wing rhetoric. At the same time, in Putin's Russia, this legacy acquired new ideological content rooted in the tradition of right-wing, conservative Russian geopolitical thought. This research allowed us to understand how the phenomenon of right-wing decolonization became possible and what influence the development of ideas about colonialism in the second half of the 20th century had on its emergence.
Denys Kiryukhin (Wed,) studied this question.