Former Soviet Union Net Assessment -- 2005

The Former Soviet Union (FSU) has been one of the world's most influential regions for more than a thousand years, due in part to its strategic location and valuable resources. It has entered a new epoch where outside forces — mainly the United States — are gaining the upper hand in the region while Russia suffers a systemic crisis. Given the FSU's past geopolitical performance, a move to repel outside forces probably is brewing. The FSU's geopolitical drivers include the desire for strong centralized power, Russia's self-perception as a great nation, a developed sense of common regional identity, a sense of social justice, and elites' admiration for the West — which often is not shared by the masses and creates a backlash.