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This paper examines the widening social and economic gap between Russian regions and municipalities and highlights the challenge it represents to the Russian government as well as its consequences for the overall political landscape. In 1991, the dismantling of the USSR led to the birth of fifteen independent states, one of which is the Russian Federation. Today, despite federal rulers’ political bid for an ever more “united” Russia, Russia’s political geography shows very significant disparities, and Russia may be described as a very diverse and “ un-united” country. This paper identifies four “Russias”: the prosperous territories, the urban “metropolitan Russia” and “prosperity islands” (prosperous mainly thanks to the energy and raw materials sectors), the “second-class Russia” (economically depressed mainland territories, where the majority of Russians live), and the Russia of the peripheral non-Russian-speaking marchlands. Those four “Russias” are becoming increasingly distinct, and are becoming alienated from one another. As a result, political unity will remain a major challenge to the Russian federal state in the coming years.