Putin's Russia

Résumé du document

As a way of introducing our subject, and in an effort to make it more dynamic, I chose to start writing an article which is essential to provide views of Putin's Russia as I interpret it from local and foreign press. After the fall of communism in the early 1990's, Russia was transformed deeply into the image of their rival enemy. USSR collapsed and with it, the whole communist ideology around the globe. This implosion provoked that many of the countries that were attached to the whole, where then left by themselves. Russia by then became weak and unstable that it was not even able to carry out the role as a regional state. It is essential to understand communism in order to understand modern Russia. Even though some of Russia's autocratic vices in the management of politics go back to the Tsarist eras of the Empire it once was. This notion of empire was never forgotten by Russian rulers, who were driven by the impulse of reasoning in terms of Russian supremacy.

Extraits

[...] But one thing is for sure, Russia needs new friends to trade and invest. But engaging long and stable relations is not an easy task, though they are a necessity to allow the country's development. These relations will not be entirely based on business, and sometimes contradictory politics can become a tedious issue to the Putin's administration. The first circle of Russian influence are its neighbors, all the confused countries that once belonged to the proud USSR and were left scattered by themselves all around Russia. [...]

[...] Since development strategies weren't always a success. The country's economy has suffered greatly from the democratic transition, and most of its old muscle and powerhouses are obsolete. Russia is no longer the fierce adversary it once was, but for her sake, conjuncture keeps smiling at them with the constant rise of petrol prices. It's especially the industries that have had the worst part, and that have the communist syndrome that translates as incapacity of being competitive for globalized standards. She knows her difficulties and has had to adapt to the market needs. [...]

[...] But apart from these slow industries, Russia relies largely in her energy exports that have increased significantly in the past few years. Foreign countries tend to see Putin's regime as a Petrol State, due to its huge energy stocks both in petrol and in gas. Since, hydrocarbons have become the backbone of Russian economy, and assuring their stability as a reliable asset has become a government priority. One of Putin's strategies included snatching the private giant YUKOS, from its owner, a well-known local oligarch that managed to siege control of it during the privatizing frenzy of the Yeltsin era. [...]

[...] Further on, Putin has strong connections with the US and especially with its President. But if it wasn't for the Middle East implications of Russia, the US could forget some of the darkest elements regarding the Russian system. As in fact, Russia supports the Hamas in the region, and the local rogues are often seen using Russian homemade weaponry. Another diplomatic problem takes place when one of her allies, Iran is starting to become increasingly itchy to the occident as his apocalyptical messianic dogma against Israel includes nuclear power strike, and Russia sympathy for the President is not highly appreciated by occidental standards. [...]

[...] Occidentals start fearing Russia as it is government relies heavily on spies from the FSB and quite probably on the well-known and wealthy Russian mob to do her dirty job. But Russia has an ace in the hole, when commercial interests become a delicate subject, since the EU would like to engage some kind of protectionist measures to straighten up Russian behavior, but their dreadful and unlucky dependence on Russian irrigation through pipelines of gas and petrol obliges to them think twice before challenging the Kremlin, as Putin is directly linked to the pulse of their prosperity. [...]