A Guide to Russia

Russia

Western analysts have long been intrigued by the image of Putin’s Russia. Although the current situation isn’t perfect, the image is enough to make a visitor think twice. The Kremlin’s need for democratic legitimacy may be one of its vulnerabilities. However, the history of twentieth-century communist parties in Europe shows that extremist parties can be moderated by democratic institutions. The inclusion of extreme parties in Russia’s political system could damage the country’s democracy.

The Russian Federation is a vast nation covering 11% of Earth’s land mass. It is considered an energy superpower and the successor state of the former Soviet Union in diplomatic matters. It is a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. The Russian Federation is a land of vast contrasts. Russia’s contrasting landscape is a great example of monotony and diversity. The vast landmass is covered with permafrost, which is found in over 60% of its territory.

Crimea was annexed by the Russian Empire in the 17th century. Until the 1950s, it was a part of the Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. After protests in 2014, the Crimean people overwhelmingly supported joining Russia. In 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, triggering the largest refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. While the conflict is currently simmering, the consequences of such a Russian invasion will not be known until 2022.

The first revolutionary movements in Russia are the Bolsheviks. They were influenced by Marxist thinkers such as Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin. They overthrew the Tsar and all the leaders who stood against them. They set up the first Marxist Communist State in history. After the revolution, the Bolsheviks reorganize the country’s ruined political system. They also began to implement a socialist economy.

Russia’s climate is largely continental, despite the fact that it has vast areas of tundra and mountain ranges. The mountain ranges along its southern border block the warm ocean currents that moderate the continent’s temperature. The climate in the southern and eastern regions of Russia is largely continental, with only a small amount of tundra and Arctic areas. If you want to visit Russia, make sure to take note of its climate. There are many things to see and do in the vast country.

The Russians are descendants of the Slavic people who originally lived in the wooded areas of the Pripet Marshes. The Slavics later spread across the country and settled in Western Russia. Eventually, they settled in two waves, from Kiev toward Suzdal and Polotsk toward Novgorod. These people eventually assimilated the Finno-Ugric tribes. So, their culture is rich in history.

The Russian Empire was the third largest empire in history, stretching from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth eastwards to Alaska. Peter the Great ruled Russia from 1689 until 1725, when he relocated its capital from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. This era brought more modernization to Russian society, and the government began building ships for the Russian navy. In 1904, the Russo-Japanese War broke out, and Japan won the war. This defeat was one of the reasons for later revolutions.