1. Russia: Issues and Challenges

2. 1- Prior to 1991, Russians had little experience
with democratic government, which has led to
problems.

3. 2- The president has the power to issue
decrees, rulings which do not need the
approval of the legislature. This might
make the office of the president too strong.

4. 3- Provide examples of how Vladimir Putin strengthened presidential powers.
He took harsh measures against his opponents.
Newspapers remained free, but television news came under government control.
In 2008, Putin’s ally, Dmitry Medvedev, was chosen president in an election critics claimed was neither free nor democratic.

5. 4-
a- Russia is a federal republic. What is a federal republic?
Power is shared among national, regional and local governments.
b- To ensure that regional leaders would obey his wishes, Putin organized the
country into seven large districts and appointed governors who would support his policies.

6. 5- Provide examples of how politicians in the Russian government disregard democratic ways.
The courts and the legal system often favor rich, powerful citizens.
Many Russians still understand little about their government and, therefore, do not know how to make changes in the way it works.

7. 6- How has Russia’s shift to a free market economy brought positive changes?
New companies have been started, and some personal incomes have risen.
Higher prices for Russia’s oil and natural gas exports have brought the country more income.

8. 7- Write 7 or more facts from the sub-chapter: “Challenges to National Unity” Be sure to define: “separatist movements.”
Regional rivalries have increased in recent years. Such resentments have made it difficult to unify, or bring together the country.
The desire of many ethnic groups to form their own independent countries make national unity difficult.
When the Soviet Union fell, several ethnic groups in Russia saw a chance for independence.
They launched separatist movements, campaigns to break away from the national government and form independent countries.

9. 7-
One of the most violent separatist movements began in Chechnya, a Muslim region near the Caucasus Mountains in southern Russia.
In the early 1990s, Russia’s President Boris Yeltsin gave Chechnya more self-rule, but many Chechens wanted complete independence from Russia.

10. 7-
Yeltsin did not want to allow Chechen separatists to succeed, believing that other regions would also demand independence.
In 1994, he sent a large Russian army into Chechnya to crush Chechen forces. Both sides suffered heavy losses.
The Chechen separatists continued to conduct, or carry out, terrorist attacks against the Russian government.
Truces and agreements between the two sides have failed, and the situation remains unresolved.

11. 8- Write 7 facts from the sub-chapter: “Russia and the World.”
As a major world power, Russia plays an important role in world affairs. In recent years, it has worked to strengthen ties with other countries.
Russia sees the war in Chechnya, for example, as a struggle against terrorism. As a result, it agreed in 2002 to support the United States and other NATO countries in fighting global terrorist activities.
The United States and other countries are concerned about the ongoing effects of Putin’s rule and Russia’s declining support for democracy.

12. 8- Write 7 facts from the sub-chapter: “Russia and the World.”
Russia has uneasy relations with some of the countries that were once part of the Soviet Union..
Some Russian leaders have said they would like to see Russian influence increase, which worries people in these former Soviet countries.
In 2004, Putin supported a pro-Russian candidate in Ukraine’s presidential election---a position many Ukrainians protested.
While other neighboring countries are sometimes unhappy with Russia’s actions, they also know they depend on Russia for certain resources, such as oil and natural gas.