Is the Russian Federation a Great Power (1991-2001)?

Abstract

After 1991, Russia, heir to the Soviet Union, remains a strong State within the world order  and  maintains  considerable  human  and  natural  resources.  ftis  situation  allows Russia to impose her will over some of the neighboring States. However, Russia cannot longer be considered a superpower: the crisis of her rule  and  society  debilitated  her.  Even after the economic recovery and stabilization, which began in 1990, this State no longer has a dominant position to impose a socio-economic or political model. Despite the aforementioned situation, Russia’s capability and political will to have an influential position within international politics make of her a “Great Power” in the traditional sense of the word. Consequently, Russia leaves a privileged position within international relations to the United States of America, making of the latter a “hyperpower”. Such a situation allows Washington to exercise her leadership over a significant number of States –those ruled by democracies– and to pose a more dominant model. Bearing this in mind, the article analyzes the situation of Russia during the administration of Boris Yeltsin and the beginning of the presidency of Vladimir Putin, periods known for the efforts to consolidate a strong and prosperous State, both internally and in relation to other countries.