"Eric Shiraev's years of experience teaching the subject shines through in this coherent, well-documented and highly-readable text" ' Ariel Choen, Senior Research Fellow, The Kathryn and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International Studies, Washington DC, USA "A masterful, critical assessment of both the realities of Russia on the ground and the nature of the Russian state" ' Blair Ruble, Director of the Kennan Institute at The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington DC, USA "A comprehensive and multi-dimensional analysis of Russian developments and actions" ' Alan G. Whittaker, Professor, National Defense University, Washington DC, USAav.