9781422275771

Introduction

7 Kievan Rus: A loose federation of East Slavic tribes in the late ninth to mid-13th centuries, under the Rurik Dynasty and centered around the Ukrainian city of Kiev. Marxist: Relating to the political and economic theories of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, considered the basis for socialism. Tsarist: A system of absolute government rule under a tsar, specifically in Russia until 1917. Words to Understand Autocracy: Ruling regime in which the leader has absolute power. Détente: An easing of hostility or strained relations, particularly between countries. Feudal system: The political and social system of the European Middle Ages, based on the holding of lands in return for service to a lord or king, and the relationship resulting between the social classes. S tretching across Eurasia from the western borders of Ukraine, Norway, Finland, and the Balkans to the North Pacific Ocean, Russia is the world’s largest nation by land area. Russia’s status as a world superpower has existed since the end of WorldWar II, and today’s diplomatic, economic, and political world climates have often pitted Russia against Western nations, including the United States and members of the European Union.The first two decades of the 21st century have seen questions about Russia’s role inworld affairs, from its actions in former Soviet republics like Georgia to the annexation of Crimea in 2014, involvement in the Syrian civil war, and potential meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. Russia’s experiences throughout history have shaped the coun- try we know today. Historians pinpoint the establishment of the Kievan Rus as the beginning of Russia itself. Under the leader- ship of Rurik, several Slavic tribes united near Novgorod in 862. The Rurik Dynasty would soon move its center of power to Kiev,

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