Creation by fans of the game.

And here is my essay on ethnology, after which my collaboration with my academic supervisor began:
Russian power shall grow
through Siberia.
M. V. Lomonosov

You have sucked from us
For too long,
The time has come – to give back.
D. A. Revyakin (Kalinov Most band)

1. An excursion into history.
The settlement of Siberia began quite late. The population density here was low. The first tribes did not strive to create a single state. The Turks made the first attempt at unification. The Mongols followed. Two hordes were created on the territory of Siberia: the White – along the Irtysh, and the Blue – from Tyumen to the Aral Sea. The White same existed for a short time. The Blue lasted longer, but after Tokhtamysh left with his best warriors for the Golden Horde, it began to die. The last Chinggisid, ruler of the Siberian horde, was Khan Kuchum. During his reign, Russia gained strength and began to encroach upon Siberia.
In 1582, Yermak's campaign into Siberia took place, which marked the beginning of its annexation to Russia. In 1584, reinforcements sent by the Tsar joined his detachment. From that moment on, the process of Siberia's annexation to Russia became irreversible.
The second half of the 16th century was the peak of the new Russian ethnos. According to L. N. Gumilev, this moment occurs 300-350 years after the birth of an ethnos. The birth of the Russian ethnos occurred at the beginning of the 13th century; therefore, everything fits the scheme. In the 16th century, the Russian ethnos entered the acmatic phase of ethnogenesis, the most active and bloodiest. A stormy expansion occurs both to the east, west, and south. Fragments of the Golden Horde – the Kazan and Astrakhan khanates – are annexed. But the largest annexation for Russia in all its history was the conquest of Siberia – a territory from the Urals to the Pacific Ocean, exceeding the European part in area.
Initially, the most active, passionary people were sent to Siberia. They were drawn by new lands and did not fear difficulties; they were ready for them. Mostly these were Cossacks and Streltsy, professional warriors. Later, peasants longing for freedom joined them (serfdom never operated in Siberia). Naturally, they mixed with the local population, as well as previous conquerors – the Tatars. Thus, first a new sub-ethnos was formed, and then an ethnos – Siberians within the Russian super-ethnos. This ethnos combined many ethnic substrates within itself, but the Siberians themselves considered themselves one. Thus occurred the increase of Russia's territory and ethnic diversity.
Initially, Siberians were the most passionary ethnos within the Russian super-ethnos. This is because it included the state's most energetic people – Cossacks and Streltsy. But gradually the passionary gene pool was scattered over a vast territory, and the level of passionarity significantly decreased. After only two centuries, the appearance of Siberians changed substantially. From brave explorers and conquerors, they turned into simple philistines, striving for nothing except a measured life.
But in the 19th century, the tsarist government began to exile Decembrists to Siberia, and later revolutionaries. These were very passionary people, and with their appearance, the Siberian ethnos received a own very large influx of energy. But this did not manifest immediately, and for some time the situation remained unchanged. Although even then the Siberian ethnos ceased to be monolithic and differed noticeably from the descendants of the same Siberian trailblazers.
A certain homeostasis (equilibrium) existed roughly until the end of the 19th century. And at the beginning of the 20th century, the situation changed. Siberians regained the energy they had 400 years ago and became ready for new achievements. The energy sought an outlet, and an outlet was given. In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War began, which would be more correctly called the Japanese-Siberian war, because only Siberians fought on Russia's side. They were able to put up a worthy resistance and could have even won if not for the betrayal of the command and government, consisting only of Russians. The war was lost, and Siberians suffered significant losses – about 80 thousand killed, with total losses around 200 thousand. Thus, for the first time in several hundred years, Siberians asserted themselves.
But this was only the beginning. In 1914, the First World War began. And again, Siberians fought for Russia. Siberian regiments, as the most steadfast, were always thrown into the most dangerous places. And although total losses for Russia in that war were not high, for the less populated Siberia they were very palpable.
Then came the revolution and the civil war. Again, Siberians participate in battles. The whole country suffered heavy losses then, but for Siberia they were even more painful.
Then there were Stalin's repressions and exiles. Thanks to the exiles, Siberia partially restored its population. The passionary gene pool was also restored, as the most active part of the regions was exiled, and the number of energetic people grew again. But these were no longer the Siberians who entered the 20th century. This was a new ethnos, consisting of those Siberians and new exiles. This moment can be considered the formation of a new Siberian ethnos, unlike the previous one.
But then the Great Patriotic War began, which turned into a catastrophe for all of Russia and particularly for sparsely populated Siberia. Siberians were again thrown into the most dangerous sectors, and they died in large numbers. Siberians defended Moscow and received nothing for their feats. Siberia restored its population but lost passionarity once more.
And finally, quite recently, during the collapse of the Soviet Union, a new milestone began in the ethnic history of Siberia. It is difficult to live in Siberia, and therefore a mass outflow of sub-passionaries from Siberia abroad and to the European part of Russia began. Conversely, the most active part of the citizens of the former Union rushed to Siberia for a large number of jobs. This process continues to this day – sub-passionaries leave, while passionaries arrive, and consequently, the passionary level of Siberia is growing again.

2. Does Siberia need Russia?
From the very moment of Siberia's annexation to Russia, it has been used as a colony. Local tribes were burdened with tribute, and conquerors received the right to collect it. The only leniency for Siberia was the absence of serfdom, a forced measure related to vast territories and low population density. At that time, no one yet thought about Siberia's minerals. It was used as a penal colony for exiles and as a supplier of timber and furs.
But at the end of the 19th – beginning of the 20th centuries, mineral development began. By the present time, this process has reached a catastrophic scale. The European part of Russia produces almost nothing and lives by plundering Siberia. Oil, coal, iron, diamonds, and much more are exported from here. If we proceed based on market laws, one must pay for these resources. In real life, however, it is not that simple. Resources are mostly exported to Europe, and the resulting profit mainly settles in the European part of the country. Only miserable crumbs reach Siberia, but even those mostly do not reach the direct producers, remaining instead in the pockets of the Russian leadership appointed from the European part of the country. Therefore, the average salary in the European part far exceeds the Siberian average, although the cost of living here is higher because conditions are harsher.
From the above, it is evident that Siberia is used by Russia as a colony, a raw material appendage. And this is all despite the proclaimed equality of all ethnic groups in the country. Siberians are viewed as inferior people whose lot is to feed Russians. Russia buys the most talented Siberians and leaves the rest for Siberia.
Furthermore, Russia pursues a conscious policy of eradicating Siberian ethnic self-awareness. Words are heard from everywhere: "We are one nation! We are Russians! Down with regional separatism!" These words destroy in the young generation the awareness that they are Siberians, unlike Russians. And most current teenagers do not consider themselves Siberians, but consider themselves Russians.
Despite the proclaimed principle of the right of ethnoi to self-determination, Russia does not even think of observing it. An example is the ongoing war in Chechnya. Russians cannot understand that their ethnic rhythm does not coincide with the Chechen one and never will. The same goes for Siberia. Russia does not want to understand that Siberians are not Russians. But as soon as this subject is raised, accusations of unpatrioticism, separatism, and nationalism begin. Yes, I am not a patriot of Russia; I am a patriot of Siberia, and I am proud of it. But I understand that if Siberia wants freedom, the Chechen scenario will repeat itself. And just as Russia now fights for Chechen oil, covering itself with the slogan of preserving the territorial integrity of the country, so too it will fight for Siberian riches, covering itself with the same slogan. But Siberia is not Chechnya; here there are vast expanses for guerrilla warfare, and it will not be easy for Russians to win here.
Lomonosov was right when he said: "Russian power shall grow through Siberia." Russia indeed grows rich from Siberian wealth. And only miserable crumbs remain for Siberia itself. And I consider myself entitled to say: "Siberian riches shall diminish by Russia." But these riches play a double role – they destroy both Siberia and Russia. Siberia because it is ruthlessly exploited. Siberian resources are extracted through the labor of Siberians, which are then sent to Russia. Siberia grows poorer and poorer. But these riches also destroy Russia. It becomes accustomed to living at others' expense, producing nothing and only consuming. The Russian ethnos grows fat and degenerates.
In this regard, I will allow myself to contradict L. N. Gumilev. According to his theory, the Russian ethnos should currently be in the inertial phase of its ethnogenesis. But from my point of view, everything indicates that the Russian ethnos is in the same obscuration phase. I can make such an assumption based on the Russians' attitude toward nature – ruthless exploitation; toward education – increasing its cost and preventing large layers of the population from accessing it; toward culture – mostly compilations. Such acceleration of the ethnic process is linked, in my opinion, to the increased speed of people's movement (the gene pool of ethnoi) and information exchange (it is easier to propagate new ideas). In connection with this, I believe that the Siberian ethnos, born at the end of the 19th century, is now entering the peak of its power – the acmatic phase.
From all the above, I can draw only one conclusion – Siberia needs Russia, not vice versa. Siberia is fully capable of providing for itself, but Russia is not. Therefore, Russia will cling to and exploit Siberia until the very end. And I, as a patriot of Siberia, am against this.

3. Siberia or China.
According to L. N. Gumilev, the Eurasian continent was unified three times over a historically observable period: first by the Turks, second by the Mongols, and third by the Russians.
Currently, Russia has lost its passionarity, and with it the ability to unify the continent. The Japanese, Chinese, and Siberians now claim the place of hegemon.
The Japanese ethnos is fully capable of taking control of all the Far Eastern territory of Russia. Even now they economically control this region. And in the near future, they will be able to control it ethnically as well, gradually displacing Russians from this territory. But most likely the Japanese will limit themselves to Primorye and leave the rest of Siberia to the Chinese.
The Chinese, throughout their entire history, have viewed all territory up to the Urals as a continuation of their country. And they have not renounced this until now. Unable to subdue Siberia politically, they subdue it economically and ethnically. Cheap Chinese goods have flooded all markets from Kamchatka to the Urals. Cheap labor from China is already widely used in the territory of Siberia. The number of legal and illegal immigrants already exceeds all previous assumptions. Chinese gang groups have put border territories under control. In the near future, the number of Chinese will equal the number of Siberians. But it is unlikely that this will be the limit. China will continue the "colonization" of Siberia. And soon Siberia will not be a part of Russia, but a Chinese province. Perhaps formally this territory will be considered Russian, but factually it will be a continuation of China, with a Chinese ethnic majority.
But there is one more option – the Siberian one. Younger than the Russian, the Siberian ethnos can continue Russian history. The Eurasian continent will be unified under the power of Siberians. Let the country formally be called Russia and its inhabitants Russians. Let the capital remain in Moscow. But now Siberia will be used not as a colony, but as a metropolis. Both production and consumption will be concentrated in Siberia. There will be an influx of new working hands from the European part of the country to Siberia. The produced product will be distributed according to the labor invested in it. Power in the country will pass into the hands of younger Siberians. A harsh national policy will be conducted, up to the forced expulsion of all illegal immigrants.
But this is only my forecast, and reality looks quite different. Most likely Siberia will be divided into Japanese and Chinese spheres of influence, and Russia's power will be purely nominal. Therefore, Russia should pose the question not as Russia or Siberia, but as Siberia or China.
A side question arises: "Why don't incoming Chinese assimilate and become Siberians, as happened with peoples during Stalin's exiles?" To this question I can give such an answer:
1) The rhythms of the Chinese super-ethnos and the Siberian ethnos do not coincide. Therefore, they will never be able to get along with the Chinese as they were able to get along with small Siberian peoples.
2) China's culture is too original and unlike the Siberian one. The Chinese will never trade their culture for another. Therefore, they will always stand out among other ethnoi.
3) The Chinese government has always desired to subdue Siberia; therefore, it supports the Chinese diaspora, helping it preserve its originality and distinctiveness.
Thus, I believe that the Chinese will never become Siberians, and in this lies a direct threat to the Siberian ethnos. Since in the near future the number of Chinese will exceed the number of Siberians, they will simply swallow the small number of Siberians. And Siberians will end up in the position of Uyghurs and Tibetans in China, who live on their land as disenfranchised ethnic minorities.
But Russia does not want to understand this, and its policy leads to the extinction of the Russian ethnos and the death of the Siberian one.

4. Conclusion.
I consider myself a Siberian and strive for the greatness of Siberia. But currently, Russia is conducting a clearly expressed anti-Siberian policy. Russia does not wish to understand that Siberians are a separate ethnos that requires proper respect. But I hope that soon Siberians will realize themselves as a single ethnos and take what belongs to them by right. And to the question: "Who are you?", I proudly answer: "I am a Siberian!"