RUSSIA: CHANGING THE USUAL WAY OF ACQUIRING THE STATUS OF A GREAT POWER

One of the manifestations of the crisis of the liberal order is the emergence of new players seeking too participate in the management of international affairs. This presents a threat to the United States and its allies which risk losing their dominant position in the world. Unwillingly, the Western powers are increasing the pressure on their opponents, using economic sanctions, information attacks, surrounding their territories with military bases. This situation poses a dilemma for Non-western States: either to submit to the pressure of the collective West, or to fight for equal international relations. Russia has chosen the second path. The article substantiates the motives for such a choice, the tools for conducting a sovereign policy, which largely depend on the modernization of the Russian armed forces. It is designed to balance the military power of Western powers, to open up prospects for turning Russia into one of the poles of power and influence in the modern world. Piper reveals the role of military power today, its advantages in comparison with economic opportunities. One-sided assessments of the role of military power, which emerged in the wake of the triumph of liberalism, are subjected to critical analysis. The reasons for Russia's dissatisfaction with the current order and the nature of its differences with the West are revealed. The main of them is that the rules and norms of the current world order close the way for a strong and independent Russia. Attention is drawn to the fundamental change in Russia's usual order of acquiring the status of a world power. Unlike the western experience, which based on economic foundations, it puts in first place military might. The advantages that Russia receives from its military power are shown. The article reveals the meaning of Russia's asymmetric balancing of the military power of the collective West, which consists in achieving this goal with minimal costs. Russia have modernized its armed forces and now can not only guarantee national security, but maintain a strategic balance of power with the West.