Russia is the successor state of the Soviet Union, a powerful superstate that disintigrated back at the end of 1992, the latter having arisen on the territory belonging to the former Russian Empire in 1917—1922.

On June 12, 1990 the Assembly of People’s Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic passed the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the Russian Federation. The office of the President of the Russian Federation was established on March 17, 1991 at the All-Russian referendum (B.N. Yeltsin was elected the first President the same year). Since December 1991 Russia has been part of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). In December 1993 the Constitution of the Russian Federation was adopted and elections to the Federal Assembly were held.

Today’s Russia is a democratic federal state with a republican form of government. The current Constitution of Russia was adopted at the national referendum on December 12, 1993.

The Russian Federation is formed by its subdivisions (these are 21 republic; 6 territories; 49 regions; 1 autonomous region; 10 autonomous districts; Moscow and Saint-Petersburg (cities of federal significance).

The President of the Russian Federation is elected by the Russian citizens for 4 years by means of universal equal direct suffrage through secret vote. The President is also the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation. At the moment the President of Russia is Vladimir V.Putin.

Representative and legislative body of the Russian Federation (Parliament) is called The Federal Assembly and is formed by two chambers: the State Duma and the Federation Council. The executive power is performed by the Government of the Russian Federation headed by the Prime Minister assigned to his position by the President with the consent of the State Duma.