Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be discussed in Taiwan long after it ends because success or failure in war is not only about lives, but also about how Taiwanese interpret history, educate the next generation and shape their cultural identities.
The shadow of empire is everywhere, and it looms over Taiwan like small dark clouds in a sunny sky.
Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to make his mark in history by restoring the glory of the Russian Empire as it stood for three centuries. Media such as the Liberty Times [the Taipei Times’ sister newspaper] have discussed how dictators inevitably gravitate toward imperial aggression, and how capitulationism might still exist today.







