Originally Posted by
J_R
Russia is most definitely still a key world power. Just look at how flustered the US has been the last 10~ years dealing inadequately with Putin. They're powerful enough that no-one can really do anything if they were to pull Crimea over and over again. At least while Putin is still in power, I don't see that changing. It's really an example of what you can actually do when you have someone competent and respected at the helm. Especially in the case of pushing limits and goals for your country such as Putin's calculated aggression in Georgia, Crimea, and Syria now although I am probably missing a few compared to setting crazy bad ones like Obama's red line in Syria and 0 troops in Iraq by 20XX. Maybe if Putin (was US president somehow) passed Obamacare and then defended it, I doubt Republicans would have spent the past (almost) decade trying to repeal it. You see Obama's image of weakness being a problem as this debt ceiling and other minor bills not passing was something that not even Bush with his "all our childrens is learning" comments on TV had to deal with.
I'd also say the fact that since their economic numbers are looking bad at a point where Russia is still perceived as competitive with and even considered to be 'winning' against the US, there is no way that you cannot say Russia is a key world power.