Russia (1991–present)
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| Russia (1991–present) | |
|---|---|
| Conventional long name | Russian Federation |
| Common name | Russia |
| Capital | Moscow |
| Official languages | Russian |
| Government type | Federal semi-presidential republic |
| Area km2 | 17098246 |
| Population estimate | 144 million (varies) |
| Currency | Russian ruble |
| Established event | Dissolution of the Soviet Union |
| Established date | 26 December 1991 |
Russia (1991–present) After the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian Federation emerged as the successor state asserting control over the bulk of the former union’s territory and institutions, inheriting the UN Security Council permanent seat, the nuclear weapon arsenal, and Soviet-era international obligations. The period has been marked by rapid political reconfiguration involving leaders such as Boris Yeltsin, Vladimir Putin, and Dmitry Medvedev, major economic transformation influenced by figures like Yegor Gaidar and Anatoly Chubais, and intensive foreign-policy engagements with actors including the United States, European Union, and People's Republic of China.
Background and Dissolution of the Soviet Union
The collapse of the Soviet Union followed political crises centered on the August Coup of 1991, constitutional struggles involving leaders like Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin, and declarations of independence by republics such as Ukraine, Belarus, and the Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. The Belavezha Accords among Russia, Ukraine and Belarus led to the creation of the Commonwealth of Independent States, and the formal dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was ratified by the Supreme Soviet and announced on 26 December 1991, leaving Russia as the principal successor recognized by institutions including the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Political Developments and Governance
Post-1991 politics featured constitutional reform culminating in the Constitution of the Russian Federation (1993), the 1993 constitutional crisis that pitted the Supreme Soviet against Boris Yeltsin, and subsequent electoral contests involving parties such as Our Home – Russia, Yabloko, and United Russia. Power consolidation under Vladimir Putin—who served as President of Russia and Prime Minister of Russia—saw institutional changes affecting the Federal Assembly, regional governors, and federal districts, and produced tensions with liberal opposition figures like Alexei Navalny and movements such as the Dissenters' March. High-profile legal and political events include prosecutions of oligarchs such as Boris Berezovsky and Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the introduction of laws targeting non-governmental organizations tied to foreign funding, and the reconfiguration of media influenced by entities like Gazprom and RT (TV network).
Economic Transition and Policy
Russia’s shift from a planned economy to a market economy involved shock-therapy measures associated with reformers Yegor Gaidar and Anatoly Chubais, mass privatization programs creating oligarchs such as Roman Abramovich and Vladimir Potanin, and stabilization tied to rising global oil and gas prices exploited by firms like Gazprom and Rosneft. The 1998 Russian financial crisis precipitated devaluation and default, after which recovery in the 2000s financed state consolidation under Vladimir Putin and interventions such as the partial renationalization of strategic assets. Trade relations and energy pipelines—projects involving Nord Stream, Sakhalin, and collaboration with Gazprom Neft—became central to ties with the European Union, China, and Turkey, while fiscal policy and sovereign wealth management interacted with institutions like the Central Bank of Russia and the National Wealth Fund.
Society, Demographics, and Culture
Demographic trends have included population decline and subsequent stabilization influenced by migration from republics such as Ukraine, Belarus, and Central Asian states including Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, alongside public-health challenges highlighted by institutions like the World Health Organization and national campaigns. Cultural life involved renewed attention to heritage sites such as the Kremlin and the Hermitage Museum, the global presence of Russian literature through authors like Lyudmila Ulitskaya and Victor Pelevin, and international contributions from composers and filmmakers linked to festivals including the Cannes Film Festival and institutions like the Bolshoi Theatre. Social movements over human rights have involved organizations such as Memorial and advocates connected to European bodies like the European Court of Human Rights.
Foreign Policy and Security Affairs
Russian foreign policy has balanced relations with the United States, engagement in multilateral forums like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, strategic partnership with the People's Republic of China, and contention with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization over enlargement and deployments. Russia’s military posture relies on the Russian Armed Forces, strategic nuclear forces modernized with systems such as RS-24 Yars, and defense-industrial firms like Almaz-Antey and Rostec. Significant diplomatic efforts include the Six-Party Talks legacy, the Iran nuclear deal negotiations’ regional implications, mediation attempts in conflicts involving Syria and Libya, and sanctions regimes imposed by the United States and the European Union in response to actions starting in 2014 and recurring thereafter.
Regional Conflicts and Territorial Changes
Territorial and security disputes since 1991 have encompassed the First Chechen War and Second Chechen War within the North Caucasus, the 2008 armed conflict with Georgia over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and the 2014 annexation of Crimea following the Euromaidan events in Ukraine, which precipitated sanctions and diplomatic isolation. From 2022 onward, large-scale military operations in Ukraine expanded these tensions, involving battles near Donetsk, Luhansk, and Kherson, international responses by bodies such as NATO and the United Nations General Assembly, and contested referenda and administrative changes proclaimed by authorities governing occupied territories.