“ The year is 2008, and the world teeters on the brink of war. Radical ultranationalists have seized power in Moscow. Their goal: the reestablishment of the old Soviet empire. Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, one by one the nearby independent republics slip back into the Russian fold. Russian tanks sit in the Caucasus Mountains and the Baltic Forests, poised to strike to the south and east. The world holds its breath, and waits. - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (Game) Intro”
The Russian Democratic Union, often simply called the RDU, was a political alliance formed by the country of Russia during the events of the 2008 Russian war.
Background[]
During the year 2002, the Russian government came under intense criticism for its failure to revive the country's crumbling economy. When protests rang out and the government began to collapse, a party of Ultra-nationalists, then being led by activist Dmitri Arbatov, challenged the government for control of the Presidency of Russia, and through careful manipulation were eventually able to overthrow the aforementioned President. Arbatov then installed himself as the country's next President, and proceeded to return Russia to its former glory.
The Ultranationalists were quick to take control of the Russian military, which they intended to use for their master plan: the revival of the Soviet Union. From 2002 to 2007, Russia sought support from former Soviet republics so that they may work together to invade the outlying former territories. Most of this was done illegally and through the use of blackmail and force, but in time Russia gained control of the Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan. Once these four large nations were allied with each other, they formed the Russian Democratic Union, a political and military alliance dedicated to the prosperity of the new Soviet Union. Thus, the Eurasian landmass was thrown into chaos.
Following the discovery of Russia's intents, the United Nations immediately protested the Russian Democratic Union, with Western Europe and the United States being the most adamant opponents outside of the former Soviet republics. President Arbatov ignored this, however, and went ahead with his military campaign. The RDU mobilized its forces all across Russia, working to shut down all opposition to either the President or the military. Russia was becoming politically unstable and thousands were killed or injured as tanks rolled through their cities. Once the opposition was silenced, Russia focused on its main goal, deploying hundreds of thousands of troops into the outlying republics, threatening global stability. The world watched helplessly as the enemy rolled across Eurasia, and the United Nations struggled to find a solution.
Among the first nations threatened by the RDU was the Republic of Georgia in the Caucasus Region in 2008. The Russians were assisting South Ossetian Rebels to invade the northern reaches of the country. If the Rebels received this kind of support, Georgia could not hope to stop the Russian war machine. They called for U.N. assistance, who responded by sending 2,000 American peacekeepers, along with British troops and other nations, to safeguard Georgia from this growing threat. Among the American contingent was an American Special Forces team known as the "Ghosts", a unit from Fort Bragg, North Carolina who were specialized in stealth operations. The Ghosts launched multiple deep strikes against South Ossetian forces in an attempt to stall their war effort. Despite the success of these strikes, Russia discovered this intervention and demanded that the U.N. withdraw all forces for "meddling in Russian affairs". Although the U.N. worked to minimize casualties and tried to justify this mission, Russia ignored them and decided to send in their army to take control of the small country. Desperate to defend the country, American and Georgian forces worked together to stave off the advancing armies, and were successful in eliminating several tank columns. While this did stall the main attack, nothing could be done to stop the invasion, so the U.N. pulled out all of its forces over a course of days. The Georgian government fled to Geneva to set up a government-in-exile, which would work to protest the crimes of the Russian government. Twelve days after the initial invasion, the "Ghosts", the last American soldiers in the country, evacuated by helicopter from the American Embassy in T'bilisi, the Georgian capital. Russian tanks seized the capital and with the fall of the last Georgian stronghold, Georgia surrendered to their Russian opponents.
Within days after Georgia fell, President Arbatov forcefully incorporated the republic into the RDU. Despite protests from the Georgian government, the U.S., Germany, and Great Britain, Russia maintained control over the country and didn't pull back any of its forces. The fall of Georgia also meant that the former republics of Armenia and Azerbaijan would be vulnerable from the threat posed by Russia. However, Russia decided to focus on another target first: the Baltic States of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia, three countries the Ultranationalists have longed to recapture. Desperate to stop this, the United States prepares to assemble an invasion force in the case that Russia should attack the three countries, as well as trying to gain intelligence on the attack from behind enemy lines. It is too late, however: the RDU attacks the Baltic States in full force and within days the entire region is overrun. The Russians make a drive for the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius and after an underground resistance starts, Vilnius finds itself in ruins.
The RDU established firm control of the three countries, but the U.N. was not finished yet. The United States launched a counterattack that took the Russians by surprise, forcing many of them into retreat. After months of fighting, the Russians lost control of Utena and Rezekne, and soon the only stronghold left was Vilnius. The Allied forces swarmed the capital and crushed the occupational forces, throwing the RDU's armies into a full retreat.
The defeat in the Baltic States hurtled the RDU into chaos and confusion. Many Ultranationalist officials turned on President Arbatov and blamed him for the failed invasion. The Army splintered into smaller factions, all seeking to conquer the presidency and to overthrow Arbatov for different reasons. Arbatov eventually was put under house arrest, and Prime Minister Karpin took control. Losing faith in their government and finally gaining the courage to face their tyranny, millions of Russians took up arms against the government's Ultranationalist forces and a rebellion erupted across the entire nation. The Russians started to fall back from their positions in the Caucasus Mountains and in Eastern Europe, prompting several members of the RDU to sever their ties with Russia. In response to this deteriorating scenario, the Russian forces executed Arbatov, and they started to take control of the government. These acts of corruption only prompted further rebellion, and soon several members of the government were at odds with their Ultranationalist counterparts. Civil war broke out and the RDU fell apart as members withdrew. Russia was now vulnerable to a full-fledged U.N. invasion.
The 1st Armored Division fought the Russian Army. Eventually the Ultranationalists used a tactical nuclear weapon to international condemnation. Eventually the UN force stormed into Moscow and captured the Kremlin and the RDU was dissolved.
Sometime later, the country went back to just being called Russia.