eli5 – Russia has an economy smaller than Canada or Italy. How does it continue to be a threatening, great power without going bankrupt?

Question

eli5 – Russia has an economy smaller than Canada or Italy. How does it continue to be a threatening, great power without going bankrupt?

In: 808

Answer 1

It is a trade-off.

Being threatening great power costs a lot and is not necessarily worth.

Eventually it will become bankrupt if continues doing that, which is at the end of day what ended USSR.