One of concepts was mere use of a photograph taken in the region. Volga car (one of the symbols of Soviet automotive idustry) and a characteristic monument were my choices.

While thinking on how to find a synthetic form of expressing the contents I thought of a five-point star, as a commonly known symbol of former USSR to convey a contunuity of the dominant position of one country over another. To mention the states involved star's outline was multiplied and given the colours of three flags: white, blue and red (RUS), red and green (BY), light blue and yellow (UA). The flag-outlines were arranged in the same way as the territories on the map.

At the and of the day author and the publisher chose my favourite version: an AI-created mosaic representing Russian coat of arms; figure of St George on the shield being replaced by flags of Ukraine and Belarussia to represent the attitude of the bigger to the smaller - like in heraldry.

Thank you!