“I am a leftist who hates Russia and China”

I wouldn't put China and Russia in the same basket though
- sure but one thing is calling out putin for his ultraconservative policies and possible ties to neonazi groups; other thing is to attack russian with what basically amounts to cold war anti-russia propaganda
  
  Absolutely. Going further, Putin is undeniably better for the Russian people and for the world than e.g. Navalny would've been: a literal neo-Nazi who called immigrants "cockroaches who should be exterminated" in a televised interview, and who's top aide met with MI6 offering to create a color revolution for 10-20 mln USD.
  For as long as the West is attempting to install a Yeltsin 2.0 in Russia, Russian people will keep electing Putin or some "continuation Putin" if they know what's good for them.
  Having said that, I don't consider modern Russia "anti-imperialist" as some other posters here, and I have no love for Putin. It's a bit like Assad, the least bad option under the imperialist assault of the USA and it's vassals.
- Of course not but one way or another they have found themselves in the anti-imperialist side.
  Think of it this way, during the secession war, which side would you have supported? The capitalists of the north that one way or another found themselves on the side of abolishment of slavery or the pro-slavery south? Marx and Engels staunchly chose the former.
  
  That's fine and I support e.g. Russia's alignment with the new Sahel governments, but not e.g. invasion in Ukraine which achieved some goals of the US and is not decolonial in nature.

The real test is to ask about Cuba.
- I thought Cuba was loved by compatible left types?
  
  That's my impression too. Supporting Cuba seems like the lowest bar to clear out of all AES countries
  
  They'll rant about the cuban "regime", too. Always just a matter of time.
- No, it's China. Western leftists love Cuba, not particularly because theyre socialist but because they're poor.
- Cuba was my gateway AES, they were the easiest to support even before I read theory.
- Nah, it's to ask about Israel

Hey now, let's be fair.
They might just be a 12 year old in the imperial core.

Cunningham’s law compels me: HOW DO YOU DO, FELLOW LEFTISTS?

What's left-wing about Russia right now?
- Russia opposes the anglo-american world order which is the only imperialist power. Anti-imperialism is the most important aspect of the leftist struggle. Socialism is nearly impossible under the tyranny of the reactionary world hegemon as witnessed by the blockades and sanctions on Cuba, DPRK, and Venezuela. The delicate balancing act that China has had to play gets them labeled as "not really socialists." The carnage the imperialists in Libya, Argentina, and Indonesia because of their leftist leanings are what happen when you try and fail to build socialism under the imperialist gaze.
  
  Russia is an imperialist nation which is clear by the attitudes of the nations around Russia think of Russia not just in Europe but everywhere where they border another nation. Look what they did to Afghanistan before America decimated it
  
  Russia absolutely is an imperialist power. They're literally invading one of their former imperial possessions, not to mention the shit they're doing in Georgia, Syria, Nigeria etc
  If you support Russia's wars of aggression, you're not anti-imperialist.

I don't hate em, I wish their people all the peace and prosperity that all humans deserve. Imperial power is imperial power, though, and in the case of Russia, they're not even pretending to do it in furtherance of leftist goals. Their government is fucked up and cronyist, doesn't serve the interest of the people, and plays the same fuck fuck games the CIA does in promoting fascists. They're basically diet America at this point.