Russia Goes on a Global Search for Opportunity

It's been more than five years since the Euromaidan uprising in Kiev -- an event which began in Ukraine, but whose consequences have reverberated around the world. In addition to sparking Russia's annexation of Crimea and the ongoing separatist conflict in eastern Ukraine, the uprising drove a wedge between the West and Russia, whose relations have plummeted to their lowest point since the Cold War. The United States and the European Union have sought to economically isolate Moscow through sanctions, while both Russia and NATO have angered each other by engaging in military buildups. But with the Russia-West standoff likely to remain for the long haul, Moscow is now looking at South Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America for places to foster economic and security ties -- throwing a wrench into the United States' plans in the process....