An ultimate GEO-political consideration might be that this civilization is past its peak and is heading towards a nasty overshot fast --- fundamentally because of (gasp!) energy limitations, plus global warming.

If so, things like international trade, financial markets, cultural wars, even LBGT rights, technological advances are just games to distract beta (etc) players. Russia would be then in a unique position (only Norway would compare) to be fully self-sufficient to last longer in a civilized form --- if only it won't be looted in the last minute by Western corporate-financial monsters. Preparing for the Mad Max world, ain't it fun?!