1. Russia Today

2. A New Russia: The Boris Yeltsin Years 1991-1999

3. Economic Hardship  Abrupt shift to free-market system  Rampant corruption  Rise of Russian oligarchs

4. The Vladimir Putin Era 2000-present

5. Russian Rebound  Consistent economic and standard of living rise  Energy superpower  Revived international prominence

6. Russo-American Diplomacy  Support in War on Terror  Condemning North Korean 2009 nuclear test  Combined space operations

7. Alienating the West  2008 Russo-Georgian War  Support of Assad regime in Syria  Political asylum for Edward Snowden  Anti-west rhetoric

8. Cold War Remnants  Increase in military and nuclear spending  Gaining influence in former Soviet bloc  Some suppression of free speech and censorship  Growing police powers (FSB), Siberian prison camps

9. Ukraine Crisis 2015 Annexation of Crimea

10. Current NATO Situation

11. Encroachment by the West  NATO Missile defense system in Poland and Czech Republic  Induction of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to NATO

12. Ukrainian Revolution  Ethnically diverse, Russian minority in East Ukraine  Attempts to establish ties to the European Union  Protests after EU membership broke down in favor of Russian loan deal  Pro-Russian President Viktor Yanukovych ousted

13. Map of the Crisis

14. Annexation of Crimea  Ethnic Russians in Crimea  Pro-Russian separatists with Russian assistance occupy Crimean peninsula  Crimean Parliament declares itself independent, vote to join Russia  Putin annexes Crimea into Russia