"I am a Soviet man, and Yeltsin is a Soviet man - maybe our grandchildren will be different"

In this quote, Aleksandr Lebed, a Russian politician and previous Soviet military commander, is reflecting on the changing times in the Soviet Union. He identifies himself and Boris Yeltsin, the first president of the Russian Federation, as "Soviet guys," suggesting their shared background and childhood in the Soviet system. Nevertheless, Lebed acknowledges that the future might produce substantial modifications, as he recommends that their grandchildren might be various. This could be translated as an acknowledgment of the developing political and social landscape in Russia, and a hope for a much better future for the next generation. It likewise highlights the idea that the Soviet identity is not fixed and can evolve in time.