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The annexation of Crimea and the Ukraine crisis have enabled Vladimir Putin once again to put on a display of Russian dominance, uniting the nation around core conservative values. Tension is rising within Russia’s political system as it defines itself in opposition to the rest of the world. The economy is in crisis, but the general population has been relatively spared. The danger for the regime is not so much the formation of a political opposition, but rather the deterioration of the economic situation, particularly in rural areas.