The Re-Emerging Russian Superpower

The tensions between Russia and Ukraine at the start of the year excite generated re-create analytical interest in Russias re-emerging aim as a superpower, driven chiefly by its actual, or potential, domination of the global supplies of energy. along with its role as a swing supplier of oil (enabling it to contain the balance of power between OPEC and the industrialised consumers), the episode has luxuriouslylighted Russias position as the pre-eminent supplier of gun.Russia controls a third of global proven gas reserves, with Gazprom already seemly the dominant supplier in the EU and Turkey, in addition to Russias close to abroad, including the energy-hungry Ukraine. However, the drivers of Russias potential for becoming an energy superpower are not limited to its own resources.An additional factor is Russias near monopoly over the Central Asian trade infrastructure, which remains unbroken by the single Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline (in operating room since May 2005). Fu rthermore, it has been pointed out that the continued instability in the Middle eastern United States (which some argue has been deepened, rather than reduced, by the US invasion of Iraq) has boosted Russias position as the aspiring centre of energy geopolitics.Add to this some(prenominal) other key factors such as the long-term outlook for high energy prices, the limited ability of the US and EU to diversify their allow sources and Russias growing ability to play a China and/or Iran card both in energy and geopolitics and the picture that emerges is one of a global energy superpower, capable in many ways to heel counter the might of present-day sole superpower the United States.Furthermore, there have been significant signs that this re-emerging superpower also means business in the armed forces sphere. Russia has recently commissioned a new generation of missiles (Topol-M), capable of allowance a nuclear warhead and able to evade current US anti-missile defence systems. W hile not signalling a return to a frigorific War style arms race, this development suggests Russia is no longer will to refrain from a bit of old fashioned sabre rattling, when it feels the ask to do so.At the same time, Moscow has notified those who need to know of its finis to protect its vital strategic interests. While not seeking to draw the exclusive great power player in the former Soviet Union, Russia has let it be known that it does not regard Western interests in the region as being on par with its own. It will consequently resist Western incursion in the area deemed incompatible with the pastime of legitimate economic and political objectives.In practice this boils down to the packaging of anti-Russian regimes in the region, through so called colour revolutions. Thus, in an unusual move, Russias defence minister, Sergei Ivanov has written in The Wall Street Journal that the Kremlins key objective is the prevention of Western-fomented regime changes in Russias near abroad the CIS.