1991-
Russia’s search for its new post-Soviet identity has been undertaken with great difficulties. After the decade of Yeltsin’s capitalism, Putin has turned back to autocracy and confrontation with the West.
Parade In Honour of the 70th Victory in 2015. Photo by Presidential Press and Information Office
Background
When Boris Yeltsin was elected first president of Russia, he and Mikhail Gorbachev ruled side by side.
Yeltsin seized initiative, putting down the August Putsch. Gorbachev resigned and dissolved the Soviet Union on 26 December 1991, leaving Yeltsin as the head of the Russian Federation – a successor state of the Soviet Union.
State and society
The Constitution of The Russian Federation was adopted by national referendum in December 1993. It was preceded by a violent conflict between the parliament and president Yeltsin, who used tanks to demand his extensive mandate.
From 2000 Vladimir Putin became the new president. In the years 2008-12 Putin served as prime minister and the president was Dmitry Medvedev. The parliament is called the Federal Assembly and consists of two houses: the Federation Council and the State Duma.
Foreign relations
The Russian Federation waged two wars against Chechnya. The First Chechen War (1994-96) was lost and the Second Chechen War (1999-2000) was victorious. The Russo-Georgian War (2008) was won and the expansion of NATO was put to a halt.
The Russo-Ukrainian War (2014- ) and the annexation of Crimea, have shuffled the cards for the future of global security. Putin has extensively underlined Russia as a nuclear power and NATO as its main enemy.
Russian Federation
1991-
Russia’s search for its new post-Soviet identity has been undertaken with great difficulties. After the decade of Yeltsin’s capitalism, Putin has turned back to autocracy and confrontation with the West.
Parade In Honour of the 70th Victory in 2015. Photo by Presidential Press and Information Office
Background
When Boris Yeltsin was elected first president of Russia, he and Mikhail Gorbachev ruled side by side.
Yeltsin seized initiative, putting down the August Putsch. Gorbachev resigned and dissolved the Soviet Union on 26 December 1991, leaving Yeltsin as the head of the Russian Federation – a successor state of the Soviet Union.
State and society
The Constitution of The Russian Federation was adopted by national referendum in December 1993. It was preceded by a violent conflict between the parliament and president Yeltsin, who used tanks to demand his extensive mandate.
From 2000 Vladimir Putin became the new president. In the years 2008-12 Putin served as prime minister and the president was Dmitry Medvedev. The parliament is called the Federal Assembly and consists of two houses: the Federation Council and the State Duma.
Foreign relations
The Russian Federation waged two wars against Chechnya. The First Chechen War (1994-96) was lost and the Second Chechen War (1999-2000) was victorious. The Russo-Georgian War (2008) was won and the expansion of NATO was put to a halt.
The Russo-Ukrainian War (2014- ) and the annexation of Crimea, have shuffled the cards for the future of global security. Putin has extensively underlined Russia as a nuclear power and NATO as its main enemy.
Russia Under Yeltsin