Sergei Khrushchev, Son Of Ex-Soviet Union Leader, Speaks At BCC

Although the Cold War is long over, American relations with Russia are still rocky today.

Sergei Khrushchev, son of former Soviet Union Premier, Nikita Khrushchev, visited Bristol Community College's Fall River campus Thursday afternoon. He spoke about his home country's past with America, the Cuban Missile Crisis, and current US issues with Vladimir Putin.

Khrushchev said Americans have no reason to fear Putin or nuclear war.

"If you have your enemy who can destroy you, you'll never start a war. It's impossible [to have] war between nuclear powers," Khrushchev said. "Sometimes nuclear weapons are instruments of peace, not instruments of war."

He discussed the history of the Cuban Missile Crisis and the country's current relationship with America today. Khrushchev believes that the recent talks between Cuban and American leaders are both countries' best interest.

Once his father was taken out of power in the Soviet Union, Khrushchev said all records of Nikita and the Cuban Missile Crisis were removed too.

According to him, Russians have no real opinion of the time period, because the only history they have is from the American perspective.

"So, they don't have their own opinion, they have your opinion," Khrushchev said.