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 the old authoritarian style of governing.
Background
When Boris Yeltsin was elected first president of Russia, he and Mikhail Gorbachev ruled side by side.
Yeltsin seized initiative, putting down the 1991 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 won.
In 2008 The Russia-Georgian War (2008) was won and the unwelcome expansion of NATO was put to a halt.
The 2014 war with Ukraine and the Western economic sanctions have shuffled the cards for the future of the European balance of power.
1991-1999
Boris Yeltsin’s reign was probably the hardest time for Russian people after the war. The “shock therapy” economic reforms pushed Russia into chaos and despair.
Background
Yeltsin enjoyed immense popularity, yet his country was bankrupt and the new economic system had to be built from scratch.
Shock Therapy
Yeltsin’s Minister Yegor Gaidar introduced the “shock therapy program”. The government-controlled planned economy was left to self-regulation. It was made too abruptly and caused a dramatic decline of living standards.
Massive privatization conducted by Gaidar and Anatoly Chubais gave way to corruption, criminality and the rise of the oligarchs. Much of the economy was controlled by the mafia.
Constitutional Crisis
On 4 October 1993 the Russian Constitutional Crisis broke out between Yeltsin and the parliament.
War in Chechnya
From 1994-96 Chechnya tried to break away and Russia declared war. Contrary to popular expectations the conflict lasted over two years and Russia had to withdraw.
Re-election
In 1996 Yeltsin ran for a second term of presidency against Gennady Zyuganov and won.
Due to Yeltsin’s severe heart failure he was practically a formal president during his second term. The power was in the hands of his close family circle and the oligarch Boris Berezovsky.
On New Year’s Day of 1999 Yeltsin resigned in favour of the young and unknown prime minister Vladimir Putin.
2000-
After Yeltsin’s decade of instability his successor Vladimir Putin was initially well received. Putin then firmly re-centralized the state and renewed the Cold War opposition with the West.
Background
In eight years Yeltsin was not able to solve the problems of economy, corruption and disorder.
Prime Minister
In August 1999 Yeltsin introduced the new prime minister that nobody knew. Less than four weeks later Putin’s effective measures in dealing with the apartment bombings brought him fame. He then successfully used the 1999 Chechen War in favour of his presidential campaign and easily won the elections.
Presidency
Putin’s reign is characterized by the KGB methods of dealing with opposition and his striving for the grandeur of the Soviet Union.
He imposed firm central control over districts, impeached Yeltsin’s oligarchs, used force to eliminate opposition and induced censorship. Several critics of the Kremlin have died violently.
After his second term, in 2008 Putin had to step down from the presidency. He appointed the yes-man Dmitry Medvedev as president and survived the global recession as a prime minister criticizing the new president. In 2012 they exchanged places again.
Foreign policy
Russia has used means of exerting economical and political pressure on its neighbours. Putin’s main goal is to block the influence of NATO and expand the Eurasian Union. Since the Russo-Georgian War of 2008 Putin has used military intervention to serve his purpose.
In 2014 Putin launched an extensive hostile campaign against the West, attacking Ukraine in February 2014 and occupying Crimea in March 2014.
