Russia is now like it was in corrupt Soviet times

MY international career and long association with Eastern Europe began in schools in Hinckley, where I am originally from.

Studying French and then German at St Albert’s and then St Martin’s then adding Russian at John Cleveland and later a first degree in languages at university, it has benefited me financially and also in learning survival skills.

The first trip to this area was a JCC school trip when Russia invaded Afghanistan. I was later one of the first ex-pats to go to the then “USSR” to work for multinationals setting up their first operations there, and to “Russia” after the USSR collapsed, and was based in Ukraine (and other countries). I took capitalism out.

I never brought communism back - contrary perhaps to some of the hopes of some teachers and some leftie students along the way! As a student and working there we were followed, bugged, plied with political indoctrination, at times arrested at gunpoint, had death threats. In the early days we could not get food.

We encountered many obstacles and corruption from the Communist party and mafia and ensuing corrupt regimes - I cannot recall one decent regime there.

In recent years I have been concerned with a growing nationalist view in Russia, anti-Western sentiment and longing for the old commie days. I am now seeing even young well-educated Russians - former colleagues making a lot of money at Western companies - pro Putin. Not all are pro Putin but too many are. I despair. Russia is now like it was in Soviet times.

I was last in Ukraine three years ago, an entirely different country with a far more Western feel with stunning cities, now being destroyed, as are their citizens and animals being brutally murdered. I have many friends bravely staying put to fight. We ex-pats, now reunited, are uniting against Putin.

We fight them now on social media, we are donating what now seems like blood money earned in Russia to Ukraine, donating essential items and volunteering.

I will never go back to Russia and now is the time to start writing a book on experiences in the region. I used to love Russian culture but now I see the red of Ukrainian blood on everything Russian. I am proud to see Hinckley demonstrating as is London. The Poplars Farm, Nuneaton is but one in your area collecting items (please check what they need - there is a list). Kindly join with us and help Ukraine.