Located on the western coast of

Government and politics

Main article: Politics of Russia
Vladimir Putin
President

Mikhail Mishustin
Prime Minister
A chart of the Russian political system
Russia, by 1993 constitution, is a symmetric federal republic with a semi-presidential system, wherein the president is the head of state,^[248] and the prime minister is the head of government.^[10] It is structured as a multi-party representative democracy, with the federal government composed of three branches:^[249]

• 
  Legislative: The bicameral Federal Assembly of Russia, made up of the 450-member State Duma and the 170-member Federation Council,^[249] adopts federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse and the power of impeachment of the president.^[250]
  
• 
  Executive: The president is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces, and appoints the Government of Russia (Cabinet) and other officers, who administer and enforce federal laws and policies.^[248] The president may issue decrees of unlimited scope, so long as they do not contradict the constitution or federal law.^[251]
  
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  Judiciary: The Constitutional Court, Supreme Court and lower federal courts, whose judges are appointed by the Federation Council on the recommendation of the president,^[249] interpret laws and can overturn laws they deem unconstitutional.^[252]
  

The president is elected by popular vote for a six-year term and may be elected no more than twice.^[253][h] Ministries of the government are composed of the premier and his deputies, ministers, and selected other individuals; all are appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister (whereas the appointment of the latter requires the consent of the State Duma). United Russia is the dominant political party in Russia, and has been described as "big tent" and the "party of power".^[255][256] Under the administrations of Vladimir Putin, Russia has experienced democratic backsliding,^[257][258] and has become an authoritarian state^[11] under a dictatorship,^[8][259] with Putin's policies being referred to as Putinism.^[260]