User blog comment:GrandMethuselah67/Neutral 'verse Character Sheet: Emperor Bradley Hargrave/@comment-23854671-20160905160216/@comment-26322734-20160905173009

Short answer: I couldn't think of another name.

Long answer: Around the Cold War, Russia moved Middle Eastern communists to the already Soviet-controlled Ahzernekistan (which was then called Asperia). Cultural osmosis happened and eventually the place was renamed to Ahzernekistan near the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 80's, turning into a fascist island-state.