ABSTRACT
In the years since the breakup of the Soviet Union, Russia-watchers in the West have seen the Russian Federation (RF) successor state evolve through a variety of foreign policy iterations as it struggled to find its way in the new political– economic world. This chapter reviews elements of the transition from the presidency of Boris Yeltsin to that of Vladimir Putin. Since coming to power, Vladimir Putin has used heavy-handed aggression at least four times, first against ethnic minorities in the RF itself and then against its smaller neighbors. The social structures and shared willingness among Russians to applaud Putin's foreign policy initiatives are defined by shared understandings, expectations and knowledge among the elite that are involved in carrying out his foreign policy. The chapter concludes with a discussion of possible scenarios for the shape that Russia might take after Putin.
