My first challenge in this task was to in fact conclude just what these republics were having received many different viewpoints from associates and online flag databases, so I have decided to concentrate on Russian and the former soviet republic countries, which are:

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Chechnya, Dagestan, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine & Uzbekistan.

But it should also be noted that Adygea, Altai, Bashkorkostan, Buryatia, Chuvashia, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Kalmykia, Karachaevo-Cherkness, Karelia, Khakasia, Komi, Mari El, Mordovia, North Osetia, Sakha, Tatarstan, Tyva & Udmurtia are Russian republics also, although nobody is around to prove their existence.

The political, economical and social situation of Russia and the soviet republics has never been described as stable, in fact the last time we saw it as something of note was under Stalin’s reign of terror. The collapse of the soviet system in 1991 has led to economic desperation and outbreaks of war across the states, leading to the urban decay it has become famous for as Russia struggles to retain grip over it’s vast Federation. One of the breakaway republics striving for Independence – Chechnya, is not the only one to wage war on its Russian neighbours. Chechen forces temporarily gained their independence in the bloody battle of 94-95 after inflicting heavy losses on Russian forces. Russia, however, refused to loosen it’s grip launching a massive counter-offensive after blaming terrorists in Chechnya for bombings in Moscow and other cities that killed more than 300 civilians.

Not only have we seen forces fighting between Russia and the republics but also between the republics themselves, notably Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, after Islamic militants from the latter nation stormed several villages in October 1998 on a hostage-taking spree. This invasion caused clashes with the Kyrgyzstan army and led to more tension and bloodshed. Individual governments in the soviet nations have also felt the wrath of rebellion, as gunmen killed Armenian Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsyan and seven others after storming Armenia's parliament on October 27, 1999. Armenia another republic that has been in economic downfall - stuck between the failed Soviet system and largely unsuccessful efforts to build a market economy.

The situation of the Soviets has only been compounded in recent years by their portrayal as die-easy terrorists in numerous James Bond films such as Goldeneye, Tomorrow Never Dies and even earlier From Russia With Love. This stress has been relinquished however as the latest 007 movie swaps Russians with Asians, as the West once more attacks the East through the cunning medium of motion pictures.

In the 2000 filming of the Jackass Gumball Rally, Christ Pontius aka. Party Boy has this to say: “Russian police; stern – stern, but fair” and perhaps we have misjudged them and their nation. Perhaps he didn’t order the murder of Kirov; perhaps it wasn’t him who initiated 'the Purges' as a means of removing any perceived opposition. From 1934 to 1938 at least 7,000,000 people disappeared. These included the Bolshevik leaders whom he had forced out from 1925 to 1927, poets, scientists, managers of industries who did not meet their targets for production and millions of ordinary Soviet citizens, who often did not know what they had done to anger Stalin. Most of the senior officers in the Red Army and the Red Navy were also executed. Perhaps it wasn’t him. Either way,

I think we can safely conclude the political, economical and social situation of The Online Net is significantly better than in the Russian Federation.

Article Written by Jay