ABSTRACT
Russia presents as an energy power, satisfied with its economic progress making it one of the world's ten-biggest economies, with a strong state and a united country and people. In turn, following an initial emphasis on restructuring and the resultant successes in socio-economic and political spheres, the focus of Russia's governing elites increasingly turned to future and longer term developments, as the problems of the early 2000s were considered as having been overcome. In view of the worsening of relations with the West, the importance of gaining acceptance or recognition from the West for Russia's status as a great power was now downgraded. During this period, buoyed by economic growth driven by oil and gas exports, Russia's sense of patriotism and pride reached a new height, as it was suggested that, for the first time in the post-Soviet period, Russia had found its own path to success.
