Romanov Ascendant: What if the Soviet Union survived?

[boredviewer1234]

I think at this point Azeris and Armenians could be trusted to man the border. The Azeris with Russian or otherwise officers keeping an eye on them. The Azeri rebel groups didn't exfiltrate through Armenia but through the mostly apathetic Georgia, which had nationalist sentiment and a few radical groups of it's own, but not nearly to the same extent. The problem with Saddam is just his personality, now he has one of the best militaries in the region, he's fixed his economic problems and he wants to take the war to Iran now that he knows he can win. The Soviets want to avoid this as it could lead to a further deterioration in the already delicate stability in the middle east. Saddam keeps blocking efforts at creating a union or alliance with Syria for his bizarre reasons. Letting the PKK operate from the Soviet Union itself would be way too brazen I think, it would veer into NATO's territory. But with a strong Syria, also being equipped with the more advanced weapons (and perhaps even better ones) than Iraq recieved, they're more than a foil for both Turkey and Israel. But Hafez is primarily distracted with his aggression and semi latently agreed to partition of Lebanon with Israel, so while his socialist and nationalist forces are being emboldened, he is increasingly alienating the Shia forces and Iran in particular.

You touch on a lot of good points, plus in the strategic calculus of a theoretical world war three, Iraq and Syria could easily pin Turkey down while Bulgaria, Romania and the Soviet Marines/Black Sea Fleet could finish the job. Potentially bargaining to get Greek neutrality (Especially because of Yugoslavia's inclusion in the Warsaw Pact) and creating a major threat to Italy (Which would already have a sizable communist 5th column) without having to commit substantial amounts of their own forces, which would instead be focused on pushing to the Rhine and taking Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

To be Syria did feel Iran was a major threat under the Shah and Syrian ultra nationalists claimed Iranian territory.

As you see they claim large parts of Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Turkey,Iraq ect.


While a lot of people say it's a pipedream of greater Syria, the PKK where as much a threat to be used against Iran till the 1979 revolution so it's back to Iran being a major enemy.

Granted it's likely the only way to defeat Iran would be a partition between the USSR, Pakistan, Syria/Iraq but that's not on the table yet.

 

[The Gamer Sunflower]

Saddam wants to invade Iran again, and considering the forces both countries could field it is pretty likely he would win control of the region of Khuzestan. However the geopolitical ramifications would be adding fuel to the fire, potentially turning an apathetic US president into a completely hostile enemy due to the pure strength of the legislative pressure on him to act. So the Soviets have to deal with this, his nuclear weapons program and his continual refusal to cooperate with (in their perception) the more rational Hafez Al Assad.

How the Soviets deal with the Iraq (Saddam) problem? - Online Poll - StrawPoll

What's your opinion? Vote now: The Soviets could successfully force Saddam to follow their foreign policy by threatening to cut off support (Peacefully changing his mind), The Sovie...

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You can also submit your own answers, trying to be as reasonable as possible with this.

I admit that the Soviets have no choice but to follow their foreign policy and cut off the support, had their sanity kept... Saddam wouldn't be able to invade Iran again.

 

[Lascaris]

You touch on a lot of good points, plus in the strategic calculus of a theoretical world war three, Iraq and Syria could easily pin Turkey down while Bulgaria, Romania and the Soviet Marines/Black Sea Fleet could finish the job. Potentially bargaining to get Greek neutrality (Especially because of Yugoslavia's inclusion in the Warsaw Pact) and creating a major threat to Italy (Which would already have a sizable communist 5th column) without having to commit substantial amounts of their own forces, which would instead be focused on pushing to the Rhine and taking Sweden, Norway and Denmark.

In terms of WW3 Greece would stick with NATO. That said as long as Turkey is still partly occupying Cyprus both sides will be hostile to each other. How both militaries evolve in terms of a continued war and Yugoslavia joining WP is an interesting question. On one had no CFE treaty and end of the cold war to create large quantities of spare weaponry and both Greece and Turkey massively benefited from from this. On the other hand no slashing of military spending and at least some degree of military aid. You may not have the two receiving ~1600 M60 tanks between them for example but they will be getting at least some as they get replaced. Their navies are likely impacted more, these 2-3 dozen FRAM destroyers in service will both fleets need replacement after all... the Greeks are still getting the 4 Adams and 3 Knox from the US as it was part of the US bases renewal agreement but will still be some ships sort, probably the plans to expand Meko 200HN to 6 ships with the last two being enlarged AAW versions go through TTL. For Turkey the only solution is if the US is retiring Knox, which I'm not certain it is doing TTL.

 

[Justinian]

In terms of WW3 Greece would stick with NATO. That said as long as Turkey is still partly occupying Cyprus both sides will be hostile to each other. How both militaries evolve in terms of a continued war and Yugoslavia joining WP is an interesting question.

I think it would depend on it's ruling government? The Soviets would have no problem promising Cyprus or even Thrace. PASOK for example could be very sympathetic. Overall wouldn't there be some enmity towards NATO for letting the Turks kick them out of half of Cyprus?

 

[Lascaris]

I think it would depend on it's ruling government? The Soviets would have no problem promising Cyprus or even Thrace. PASOK for example could be very sympathetic. Overall wouldn't there be some enmity towards NATO for letting the Turks kick them out of half of Cyprus?

I've been PASOK since birth. So has my family. That it would side with the Soviets over the west while the tanks are trying to roll through the Fulda gap was somewhere in the overactive imagination of US right wingers of the era. And sure there was more than a fair bit of anti-Americanism over the invasion of Cyprus. Policy is not dictated by such in any country.

 

[Justinian]

I've been PASOK since birth. So has my family. That it would side with the Soviets over the west while the tanks are trying to roll through the Fulda gap was somewhere in the overactive imagination of US right wingers of the era. And sure there was more than a fair bit of anti-Americanism over the invasion of Cyprus. Policy is not dictated by such in any country.

But we're not talking about Greece joining with the Soviets, just neutrality. Especially considering there were fundamental strategic concerns France may even go neutral in the case of conventional war between the WP and NATO.

 

[NickOn]

Just discovered this and binge read it. Great story

 

[Justinian]

Yanyev's Triumph?:
As Azerbaijan was stabilized, and the latent threat of intervention allowed to seep into Armenia and Georgia. The people of Azerbaijan knew that this was a simple punishment and a humiliation. Yanayev who had returned from Azerbaijan to much empty lauding by Romanov, even presented a medal, was brought increasingly into the inner circle. Ayaz Mutallibov, the Politburo's representative for Azerbaijan was told that a referendum was to be held in Nagorno Karabakh, as clearly (according to Yanayev) the violence and recent unrest had an ethnic, sectarian component. Despite the latter's protest, the jubilation of Armenia's de facto leader Vladimir Movsisyan and the resulting consolidation of the Armenian and Georgian population itself was more compelling to General Secretary Romanov. The KGB believed it could provoke the rebels and terrorists into revealing themselves. He also wanted a lesson to be taught to the rest of the republics. In recent days, as victory day preparations were made for 1993 Parade, Romanov was getting increased reports of dissent in the Ukraine, in the Baltic States and in some cases in Russia itself. While these dissenters were dealt a blow during the previous round up operations, the survivors had learned to hide themselves even deeper. Samizdat was still published, albeit quietly, and networks of dissenters spread news of what had actually occurred in Azerbaijan. That the communist party headquarters had been bombed, although thought must be some kind of embellishment.

Yet a new kind of Samizdat was emerging, the Soviets had copied Japanese Betamax Video cassette machines, to create their own domestic model. Then had made available players compatible with televisions as well as a copy of the camcorder. While originally intended to placate a population's increasing demand for consumer goods, and overall thought to be used in a more wholesome manner, like recording family memories or etc. It was increasingly common for small cells of dissidents to have many of these machines operating at once, producing many, fairly distorted as they copied and copied, translated western news, propaganda of the deed type tapes recorded by the opposition groups or pure pro American propaganda supplied by Voice of America and other such organizations. Other more esoteric opposition groups, like Left wing Communists, Monarchists or etc created their own propaganda, speeches and etc. The audience for these illegal tapes was small, and the sentence for having them steep, but overall resulted in the leaking of information to a minority of people, increasingly determined to act or be heard.

The general population of the Soviet Union only knew what the government wanted them to know, watched or got movies and television shows for their 'Alfamax' players. The Soviet Cinema was only increasing in scale, producing more movies and television shows than before, dubbed into different languages. Romanov appointed Zakhar Morozov and one of the hardliner Women of the Politburo in charge of greenlighting what may have been controversial cinema. The result was the release of some borderline art films, some with feminist themes, or even those that implicitly criticized Stalin, without crossing the line. Soviet Art somewhat stagnated as a result of the political meddling, but still produced some gems, especially in the genre of war movies, dramas, historical films or hard hitting, Marxist leninist documentaries of the west. Soviet crews, directed by their handlers at home, specifically recording the worst elements of western society, HIV/AIDS, drug addicts, excerpts from protests or even the excesses of the westerner's rootless cosmopolitanism and media. (Appealing to nationalism and latent social conservativism ironically)

Bottle Them Up:
Major General Grigorev still had to deal with the threat of these rebels and terrorist attacks, as few and far between as they were becoming. Constantly made aware by reconnaissance flights, some using infrared cameras, it was becoming clear that they were attempting to make a stronghold in the mountains. Whenever he could, he would pin one of these groups down with long range artillery or airstrikes or then mop up with whatever mechanized unit was closest enough. This worked well enough as the groups were vulnerable while they moved, he became worried about the forested terrain, what seemed to be a sympathic rural population and a lot of infrastructure in the region that was dangerously vulnerable to sabotage. The tunnels that allowed traffic or trains to go through the mountains, the powerlines, etc. Leaving OMON, some KGB units and the Azeris to patrol themselves, he took his best forces and created a perimeter, while also guarding a lot of these points.

He wanted them to become situated, to create defensive structures and to become comfortable, he believed that by bottling them up he could both make them irrelevant and complacent. He knew, just as Moscow did, that his troop movements were being watched in annoyingly clear detail. That foreign television had been discussing the "violence", "civil strife" and "uprising" since those days in March. By forcing them into woods, cutting them off from their western smugglers, he would weaken their resolve also until getting ready, after the upcoming victory parade, to destroy these traitors and further his career.

 

[Leonidas]

Just binge-read this timeline, and I'm really enjoying the way Romanov has made his mark on world events. He's a fascinating character, and I'm interested to see where things will go from here. The South African Civil War is also a unique concept, so hopefully the rebels don't get crushed and the apartheid regime gets deposed. Looking forward to more!

 

[boredviewer1234]

Interesting the Soviet union has mastered the modern tactics of internet friction, not stopping it as much as slowing it down.

Very interesting timeline!

 

[gbbzra]

Is there a world map for this AH? Or like who would be the successor after romanov?

 

[Justinian]

Is there a world map for this AH? Or like who would be the successor after romanov?

Just made one up, this would represent the world as of mid 1993. With that latter question, I want to leave it as kind of a surprise, i've made some hints and also some false clues throughout though, it'll start to become clear as we end the 90s.

Quick edit: Spain is in fact in NATO

 

[Masked Grizzly]

How would the Soviets ITTL handle Pakistan's covert nuclear weapons project given their support for the Mujahideen in Afghanistan?

The same goes whether there is any Soviet response to Iran in the pipeline with regards to their support of the Tehran Eight Shia Mujahideen.

 

[Adeimantus]

Not gonna lie I'm loving this timeline. Just read the whole thing. The idea of a modern world in which neoliberalism hasn't triumphed is fascinating to say the least. In OTL the only real competing power to to the neoliberal world order is China, with a few declining regimes here and there. With large parts of the world hostile to democracy and general liberalism, I would assume western nations will be much less secure in themselves and will retain a certain degree of conservatism compared with OTL social development.

The fact that semi fascist states exist like Iraq and probably South africa would completely mess with things. As for South Africa, the whites would definitely win, with all the frightful bloodshed and ethnic cleansing that would ensue, due tk vastly superior weaponry, but they would have virtually no allies or trade partners. The only way i can see it going is devolving into some kind of horrifying dictatorship. They also wont want to lose any historically important lands to the afrikaaners like the transvaal so it will get messy. The only regions they would be happy with losing would be the Natal and the general indian ocean coastal provinces.

People say that Saddams days are numbered, but just having "won" a war he now has even more oil and a semi reliable ally in the soviet union. Id say he has at least another decade.

With ragards to the Soviet union, since it is lasting a lot longer, will there be any russification occurring in Ukraine or the baltics? With Russian remaining prestigeos for longer will Ukrainianian nationalism die down completely?

 

[boredviewer1234]

How would the Soviets ITTL handle Pakistan's covert nuclear weapons project given their support for the Mujahideen in Afghanistan?

The same goes whether there is any Soviet response to Iran in the pipeline with regards to their support of the Tehran Eight Shia Mujahideen.

A fact often left out is that even if Pakistan agreed to get rid of the training camps, it might delay the swarm of fighters but they would just come farther away.

People call America crazy for their role in Afgan soviet, Britain flat out had special forces fighting the soviets and sabotaging the soviet union.

Gulbuddin Hekmatyar (The man who helped start the throw acid on girls faces, spent years fighting the US later on) and Abdul Haq met Thatcher in Downing Street.

In 1983 the Special Air Service were sent in to Pakistan and worked alongside their SSG, whose commandos guided guerrilla operations in Afghanistan in the hope officers could impart their learned expertise directly to the Afghans. Britain also directly trained Afghan forces, much of which was contracted out to private security firms, a policy cleared by the British Government. The main company was Keenie Meenie Services (KMS Ltd) lead by former SAS officers. In 1985 they helped train Afghans in sabotage, reconnaissance, attack planning, arson, how to use explosive devices and heavy artillery such as mortars. One of these men was a key trainer, a former senior officer in the royal Afghan army, Brigadier General Rahmatullah Safi - he trained as many as 8,000 men. As well as sending Afghan commando units to secret British bases in Oman to train; KMS even sent them to Britain. Disguised as tourists selected junior commanders in the mujahidin were trained in three week cycles in Scotland, northern and Southern England on SAS training grounds.

The UK 's role in the conflict entailed direct military involvement not only in Afghanistan, but the Central Asian republics of the Soviet Union.MI6 organized and executed "scores" of psyop attacks in Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, on Soviet troop supplies which flowed from these areas. These were the first direct Western attacks on the Soviet Union since the 1950s. MI6 also funded the spread of radical and anti-Soviet Islamic literature in the Soviet republics.

Fact is if Pakistan shut down all the training camps then the British can take over training with some US support, then fly or get them a boat over to Pakistan or China to insert them in Afghanistan.


Edit Even today people believe a lot British Jihadists are still under government control.

 

[Justinian]

Just Another Recce Part I:
...watch it Private Hubrecht, those fucking kaffers will sneak up at night and try to cut your balls off! Hahaha!" The master corporal and his entourage laughed, trying to scare the 17 year old, who had just been conscripted into the 4th Infantry Regiment and had only recieved four and a half weeks of training. An older, once retired Warrant Officer, Maarten recently called back into duty, yelled. It's hard to describe the fear that a warrant can bring to any rank, let alone a master corporal. When yelled to bugger off the lad or he'd be on real duties for the rest of the night; he, his friends and even a salty sergeant knew to tone it down. He helped Hubrect unspool the barbed wire while they were quickly fortifying their observation post. They were on a slight hill north of Kimberly near the Vaal river. Unbeknownst to him, or many fighting on the side of Apartheit Junta, was how quickly they lost control of the west of the country, the scale of defections and now even brigades of international fighters being formed in Cape Town, of almost every nationality. Warrant Maarten knew that at best they had a day or two before an attack could come from any direction. He had no idea what he was contending with, his Lieutenant was as young as he was useless or reckless; but it wasn't totally his fault. The information they were getting was 'complete shite'. As the hours progressed and day turned to night, the earthworks, trenches and bunkers were in their finishing touches by the men, he let them take their shirts off, it was getting hot again.

As the evening dusk started to flood the great South African plain, Maarten spotted headlamps, despite the his aged eyes, could easily make out his regiment's markings on the Ratel. He shook his head, hoping that they knew something he didn't, keeping their lights on like that, approaching a reconnaissance outpost.

The vehicle came to a stop and out came the Lieutenant followed by the sergeant major. He called the warrant to attention, saluted him and received one back. It was an odd setting for such formalism, dust flowing and light sprawling from the lamps of an armoured vehicle. "Sorry for the formalities Warrant, but we've stopped our gazelle flights for the night, it looks like the Free Army is going to try something on the northern flank, on your perimeter. Your OP has just become the front line." The warrant evaluated "But Sir, Kimberly?" "The city is fine warrant, we brought in the AWB's first battalion a couple hour ago. They've got quite the reputation now" The warrant felt a little sick. "Unfortunately it looks like the 4th Company evaporated, I don't know for sure but it looks like they might have joined up with the free army. I know for a fact that you're not the kind of disgusting, cowardly man who would turn his back on his nation, his race or his army." Or the fact that his wife and grandson were in Kimberly. "I know it's fucked up, I'm bringing you an extra squad and I'm leaving the ratel, but you need to hold this position regardless of whatever they throw at you. Air support is minimal but call on me if you need the twenty five pounders to back you up. The AWB told me they were given some captured BM-21s, but I can't guarantee anything." The Lieutenant hesitated for a moment, almost as if he knew just as well as the warrant that something was wrong, but recomposed himself in seconds, as officers do. "I'll get word to you immediately should that support come in, regardless, God Speed Warrant, I know you won't fail me or your men." He saluted again, and left to get into this staff car, an open top land rover, while leaving the sergeant major to talk to the warrant. The former told him that this generation was going to get all of them killed, but said that he knew the warrant could do the job, Maarten promised he would hold to the last man if it became necessary, he had worse in Angola. They shook hands as the Sergeant Major ran up to join the Lieutenant, riding off in the car. The men at the OP saw maybe twenty, tired men, forced marching their way up through half bush/half road ground. Some carrying heavy machine guns, all exhausted. When they arrived they were immediately given water, but even while the soldiers of the OP tried to calm them down, they forcefully pushed their fellow soldiers aside, setting their equipment up in specific directions...

 

[Wolf95]

Just made one up, this would represent the world as of mid 1993. With that latter question, I want to leave it as kind of a surprise, i've made some hints and also some false clues throughout though, it'll start to become clear as we end the 90s.

Quick edit: Spain is in fact in NATO

View attachment 633063

Hello!

Firstly, thanks for nice timeline.
But I have some questions about map.

1.) Why Taiwan is neutral? In OTL it was US ally. Is US reduced support to Taiwan because they want better relations with China or there are some other reason?
2.) How and when Cyprus become NATO member?
3.) Why and how Palestine becomes NATO ally? In OTL, they have pretty good relations with Eastern Bloc.
4.) What happen with People Republic of Congo? Does they become non-socialist in 1991 like OTL?
5.) As I see, there are communist/socialist guerrilla movement in Egypt at TTL. It seems quite intresting topic - would you please write a chapter about this?

 

[Justinian]

Just Another Recce Part II:
As the ruckus calmed down, the soldiers who were marched up to the observation post, as well as though who were seemly lucky enough to get a ride in the Ratel APC were allowed to rest first. Some of them had blood on the clothes, they had dark circles under their eyes, many of them had ripped or filthy uniforms or kit in bad shape. Everyone else was broken down into sections (Like an American squad), they'd sleep in turns, giving sentry duty to a different man every hour. They all rested deep in their trenches, next to their rifles and MGs. It seemed like they would make it through the night without anything happening, it was almost four AM. Warrant Officer Maarten barely slept all night, especially as he started conversing with the reinforcements as they started to wake up, often from shaking dreams. They were relieved from the frontal fortifications, defending the city of Kimberly near the Koppies Dam. They said that the Free Army hit them with barrage after barrage of mortars, attacked wave after wave, some of them almost fanatical. "We managed to grab one of the white ones, oh we did a number on him. Apparently the world is against us, the Free Army has united with the ANC and they're calling us the illegitimate ones." Said Sergeant Mattis as he finished his canteen. "They've got the numbers, looted weapons and a good amount of our units, especially the ones full of fucking Capetown rooineks. I'm English but I know what will happen if we lose, anyone can see it." The warrant didn't believe as much in the propaganda that was being constantly fed to their troops, but there had definitely been recent incidents, white refugees fleeing to the areas controlled by the Junta, this was much publicized by them, any murder or death on the opposing side was turned into radio reports about the killing of scores of clergy, rape of innocent women and etc. The warrant started thinking about his father, who had fought in WW2 against the Nazis, but was interrupted...

A flare shot up into the predawn sky, it was about 4:17AM, the lads on sentry screamed contact. Everyone, almost in unison readied themselves, even the conscripts who were just slower, copying the actions of the more experienced soldiers beside them. It was a trip flare, they were within 200 meters of their position, approaching from the north, and just as they trained their guns, another trip flare went off more to the west. The warrant yelled "Get ready boys! They're coming, watch your angles of fire and don't waste a fucking round!". He crouched behind some sandbags, talking on the radio asking for illumination rounds on preregistered targets.

From the perspective of an enemy, a camouflaged, dug in observation post is extremely difficult to see at night; without good or modern optics that is, but it seemed as if someone in that force may have had something like that, directing their attack.

81mm Mortar rounds started flying on and near their position. "Jesus fucking Christ! That was too fucking close." Yelled the master corporal "Corporal get your fucking shit together, get Hubrecht squared away, he needs help!" The rounds were rendered somewhat ineffective by the earthworks, sandbags and fortifications, but the men were getting suppressed.

The warrant saw the glint, the slight movement. His eyes were trained in the heavy bush of Angola, the empty plains of south Africa were no challenge for him. He ran to his men on the north west facing fortifications, and pointed them out. Just as told them were to aim, just in front with their FN MAG, the illumination rounds started falling. These chemical apparitions, fired from the SADF's old 25 pounder howitzers revealed at least an entire company of soldiers moving in to out flank them. "Let it fucking go!"

That's when the firefight started. Precise rifle fire from their Vektor R4s, a 5.56 South African "copy of the AKM", rugged, reliable and accurate. The mortar rounds kept coming down, but the soldiers kept firing, started receiving rounds back. But it seemed like they pinned at least half of the enemy company down with their machinegun fire. They started returning automatic fire back, some of it decently aimed, others flying wildly over. As the warrant officer, went from section to section, directing and reassuring his men. He got into the trench, his personal choice of weapon was his old FN-FAL. He saw Hubrecht, who was trying to remain composed, trying to return fire, but the boy was sacred. He reminded him too much of his own son. "Hubrecht, run over to the ratel and tell them to uncover themselves, back up and try to get some fire on them from the other side." Hubrecht resisted "Sir, I g-gotta stay here" "I said get the fuck over to that Ratel, then take cover at the CP, don't worry, I'll cover your sector, now fucking move!"

The boy ran, silently relieved, ran from dug out to dug out, zigzagging to avoid the incoming fire. He looked behind him, it was something to behold. Flares going up in the sky, tracers flying, his trance was broken with an 81mm came a little too close for comfort. He felt searing pain in his shoulder, but it was nothing, his heart was pounding, he knew it must be nothing. He was confused, but he had to finish his mission. He ran to the Ratel and conveyed the warrants orders word for word. The men were winning and they knew it, at least half of that enemy company was either dead or completely pinned. But as the sun started to slowly come up, shining a pink hue on the plains and bushlands, it wasn't over. Smoke rounds hit in front, were they retreating or reorganizing? It was 5:41 AM already. Their ratel took a concealed, defilade position, their crew were veterans. As the smoke began to clear, it had become clear that they had killed at least fifty soldiers, some white, some black. The rest had taken defensive positions, behind rocks, trees, dragging their wounded back to help. But as the Sergeants observed, that was just a probing attack. There were at least three more companies approaching, from each side, and in the center, dust was being kicked in the air by fast movers. Maarten wasn't sure but put it together rather quickly, he heard of these before, "Technicals?! Boys watch for those fucking trucks, get me my fucking radio"

 

[Justinian]

Hello!

Firstly, thanks for nice timeline.
But I have some questions about map.

1.) Why Taiwan is neutral? In OTL it was US ally. Is US reduced support to Taiwan because they want better relations with China or there are some other reason?
2.) How and when Cyprus become NATO member?
3.) Why and how Palestine becomes NATO ally? In OTL, they have pretty good relations with Eastern Bloc.
4.) What happen with People Republic of Congo? Does they become non-socialist in 1991 like OTL?
5.) As I see, there are communist/socialist guerrilla movement in Egypt at TTL. It seems quite intresting topic - would you please write a chapter about this?

Hey!

Thanks I appreciate the compliment, I hope it's half as much fun reading it as writing it.

Now to address your points.
1) Taiwan is neutral because President Perot is making a kind of grand bargain with China, trying to keep them out of the Soviet Sphere. The current Chinese leadership look illegitimate for adopting capitalism, and then gunning down hundreds of people in 1989, so they need domestic victories and nationalism to avoid being ousted. The Americans looked the other way on them taking back the Coastal Islands still controlled by the ROC/Taiwan, and have started dropping their assurances.
2) That's half an oversight, plus 'Turkish Cyprus' is kind of in NATO. I imagine proper Cyprus may end up joining NATO at a future point.
3) That's also an oversight, but I also think it's the mistake of the mapmaker, but there were also no Oslo Accords. Israel doesn't have complete force superiority, Syria and Iraq still fund and train the PLO.
4) Yes, in fact as a result of Romanov's bean counting in the 80's, his sudden drawback of support for some of the socialist states in Africa resulted in either political chaos, juntas or fracturing. I haven't fully pieced out the Congo, but it's probably a junta with light ties to the KGB at this point.
5) Definitely going to get to this, but basically Mubarak has alienated the military, the population, the islamists and pretty much every significant figure in Egyptian politics. The socialists are allied with left wing Nasserists cooperating with an indigenous Baathist movement.

 

[Alexniko]

With that latter question, I want to leave it as kind of a surprise, i've made some hints and also some false clues throughout though, it'll start to become clear as we end the 90s.

Gennady Yanayev seems to be the obvious choice. However your mentioning of Zakhar Morozov's promotion to first secretary of the central Leningrad party committee (along with his personal friendship with Romanov) made me wonder wheater he might be elected to the party's highest position instead. Minister of defence Dimitry Yazov is a possible candidate aswell.

Either way, I'm pretty excited. Most likely I'm wrong altogether, and someone unexpected succeeds Romanov.