ABSTRACT
Russia's independence left many of its regions exposed as never before to the outside world. The regions at Russia's periphery are overwhelmingly Russian in their ethnic make-up, and Moscow is their natural pole of attraction. Russian Border Troops have been withdrawn from every member of the Commonwealth of Independent States except Tajikistan and Belarus, and regional leaders on Russia's periphery appear to have been left to deal with the situation as best they can. According to Eduard Kuzmin, a senior Russian Foreign Ministry official responsible for the ministry's ties with the regions, this cooperation 'responds to Russia's longterm interests as it ultimately leads to the creation of a "good-neighbourliness" belt' around Russia's perimeter. Perceived ethnic domination by Kazaks, and the consequent rise in the homeless and jobless populations in Russian border regions, has led to a revival of Cossack movements, the traditional guardians of Russia's southern borders.
