There was alot of horrific things that went on in those "in-between-empire" countries, that got steam rolled regularly, reappeared half digested during defeats

There was alot of horrific things that went on in those "in-between-empire" countries, that got steam rolled regularly, reappeared half digested during defeats and either imitated there old masters, hoping to keep independent by mimicry or in re-aligning with new empires, imagining those who suffered the wrath of other empires, to be more sympathetic. Those trying to transcend nationalism and imperialism of course were there mortal enemies, as they subverted the endeavor for freedom and independence. Im pretty certain some dreamed aloud about becoming the muscovites instead of the muscovites. The bandera activities on polish jews come to mind https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/122778 https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/122778 and the formation of collaborator legions https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_collaboration_with_Nazi_Germany https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_collaboration_with_N... and the sovjet union punished them severely, after hitler fed them into the churning war. There was a corner house (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corner_House_(Riga) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corner_House_(Riga)) in every occupied city, and a room with swiss-cheese walls in ever one of those houses. The empire is the worst thing to ever happen, a certain source of misery, a crack all wounded nation states would yearn for, willing to trample another million into the dust. It by now has infected the us at the core and is slowly eroding its values away. It has put up a good fight though, allowing for example other cultures, languages, ideas and countries to flourish relatively free in its influence sphere. And there are still competing traditional empires, yearning for the g(l)ory days, of mercantilism and neverending sunsets or worse still revenge, for imagined slights received aeons ago. I honestly do not know how to overcome it, but it certainly seems, that people who experience empires in there daily lifes, suppressed by hierarchies into miserable servitude with no actual control & freedom, are more susceptible to projecting there pride upon these expansionists behemoths. Is all this past any justification for the atrocities of russia against ukraine today? No. Never was. Never will be.