Russia (Russian: Россия, romanized: Rossiya, [rɐˈsʲijə]), or the Russian Federation

Foreign relations

Main article: Foreign relations of Russia

Putin with G20 counterparts in Osaka, 2019
Russia had the world's fifth-largest diplomatic network in 2019. It maintains diplomatic relations with 190 United Nations member states, four partially-recognised states, and three United Nations observer states; along with 144 embassies.^[265] Russia is one of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. It has historically been a great power,^[266] and a former superpower as the leading constituent of the former Soviet Union.^[148] Russia is a member of the G20, the OSCE, and the APEC. Russia also takes a leading role in organisations such as the CIS,^[267] the EAEU,^[268] the CSTO,^[269] the SCO,^[270] and BRICS.^[271]
Russia maintains close relations with neighbouring Belarus, which is a part of the Union State, a supranational confederation of the two states.^[272] Serbia has been a historically close ally of Russia, as both countries share a strong mutual cultural, ethnic, and religious affinity.^[273] India is the largest customer of Russian military equipment, and the two countries share a strong strategic and diplomatic relationship since the Soviet era.^[274] Russia wields influence across the geopolitically important South Caucasus and Central Asia; and the two regions have been described as Russia's "backyard".^[275][276]

  Russia
   Countries on Russia's "Unfriendly Countries List". The list includes countries that have imposed sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
In the 21st century Russia has pursued an aggressive foreign policy aimed at securing regional dominance and international influence, as well as increasing domestic support for the government. Military intervention in the post-soviet states include a war with Georgia in 2008, and the invasion and destablisation of Ukraine beginning in 2014. Russia has also sought to increase its influence in the Middle East, most significantly through military intervention in the Syrian civil war. Cyberwarfare and airspace violations, along with electoral interference, have been used to increase perceptions of Russian power.^[277] Russia's relations with neighboring Ukraine and the Western world—especially the United States, the European Union, the United Nations and NATO—have collapsed; especially following the start of the Russo-Ukrainian War in 2014 and the consequent escalation in 2022.^[278][279] Relations between Russia and China have significantly strengthened bilaterally and economically; due to shared political interests.^[280] Turkey and Russia share a complex strategic, energy, and defense relationship.^[281] Russia maintains cordial relations with Iran, as it is a strategic and economic ally.^[282] Russia has also increasingly pushed to expand its influence across the Arctic,^[283] Asia-Pacific,^[284] Africa,^[285] the Middle East,^[286] and Latin America.^[287]