Rodina

Russian, with the literal meaning 'motherland'. It has been widely used in nationalist propaganda about the soil that has been Russia for ages. But one can also assume that in most places where Rodina is referred to it also covers the russian people, cultural heritage inhabiting the same area.

During the WW2 and the Cold War, the communist regime used the threat posed by evil foreigners against the beloved Rodina/motherland as a common cause to unite behind, much in the same way 'American Dream' have been used in the USA. A cause to fight and die for.

The fact that the Germans proved this threat to be very real (the eastern front were particulary gruesome, with liberal use of the Scorched Earth policy on both sides, atrocities, loss of lives and property on a scale that hardly needed exaggregation to make a good propaganda material ), have caused many people to be supportive of the communist regime, even if their support of the socialist ideals might have been weak.

Even to this day you will find many russians who has a strong emotional connection to this concept.