ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the evolution of Vladimir Putin's Russia and the current state of his regime. It describes the various issue areas, domestic, foreign, and clandestine, that Putin has advanced in his attempt to create a new, powerful Russia. The chapter explores the "threat scenarios" that could play out as Putin continues to test the West and the US. The most significant thorn in US–Russia relations, however, does not concern Russian actions in Eastern Europe but rather Russia's continued military involvement in the Syrian conflict. The US has responded to the Russian aggression in Ukraine through a combination of targeted sanctions and military aid to Ukrainian forces. The US' response to the actions of the Assad government and its Russian partners has been notably restrained. Despite its military power and its international ambitions, Russia is a country with serious domestic challenges that are best seen in terms of standard socio-economic data points.
