In recent times, of course, Margarita Simonyan and friends have many times over put the idea forward that Russian expansion wasn't characterized by violent subjugation but an organic and peaceful process.

This is closely followed by an excurse into the right to national self-determination, which some groups - e.g. Basques, but also numerous subjects of the Russian Empire - lack by virtue of an absence of the aforementioned "historical life".

or lastly peoples who, surrounded by foes, had already lost their national autonomy and required Russian protection (Armenians and Georgians are referenced). 3/

The lands, according to the text, were either empty to begin with, or populated with peoples who "had no beginnings of historical life or aspirations towards having one" (e.g. Mokshas, Mari, Komi); 2/

Remarkable how in the post-empirical context we're in, this kind of information hardly convinces anyone who has made up their minds already.