On Sunday, January 8, an editorial in The Guardian pointed out correctly, “whatever else there is to say about Russia’s alleged involvement in the 2016 US election, do not make the mistake of saying that such a thing is unprecedented—because it is not.” Indeed, anyone who thinks there is no parallel for the charge of foreign meddling against Vladimir Putin betrays a deep ignorance of modern history.

Russian interference abroad dates from the tsarist era, but the grasp of the Russian bear was extended dramatically after the Communist Revolution of 1917, the dolorous centenary of which approaches. Under Soviet communism, America was designated quickly as the epicenter of capitalist power and the ultimate foe. As Russian governance is bureaucratically rigid, with state decisions based on long-established norms, it should be no surprise to see that “active measures” against Moscow’s adversaries continued despite the fall of the Soviet empire.