Post-cold war Russian identity

Abstract

The collapse of the Soviet Union meant the end not only of the Cold war but also of the crucial turn in Russia’s fate. For the first time in its history Russia exists as a nation-state not as an empire. Along with the search of new identity Russians faced new challenges and threats to country’s national security and integrity (the Chechen separatist’s uprising, etc). The transitional crisis of identity seems to be finished off at the beginning of 21st century, yet the process of acceptance of new security environment and multi-cultural realities is going on. The paper examines the process of reformation of Russian national and ethnic identity and development national self-understanding in the post-Cold war era.