Domestic Factors Driving Russian Foreign Policy

Russia"s foreign policy assertiveness, funded by revenues from natural resources, makes many believe that a new energy empire is on the rise. The country today is ruled by post-Soviet security and military elites that have internalized the jingoistic values of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. These elites view the outside world almost exclusively through the lens of economic and military might. They also use foreign policy as a tool to buttress domestic sup­port and to foster a perception that Russia is sur­rounded by enemies at a time when its democratic legitimacy is deteriorating.