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

There are a few reasons. First, they are one of the few nuclear states in the world. Second, they have a permanent seat on the UN Security Council and so they can veto UN sanctions and military intervention that’s against their interests. They are very they can’t compete with the USA, China, or the EU economically, but that’s not their strategy.