STATE STRUCTURE

General Information

Official name – Russian Federation (RF).
Form of government – mixed presidential-parliamentary republic.
President (2025) – Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.
State language – Russian.
Capital – Moscow.

Foundation Period

The history of Russia began in 862, when the Old Russian State was created. In the 12th century, Russia was a union of Russian principalities; from 1547 – the Tsardom of Russia. From 1721 to 1917, the Russian Empire existed. After the Great Russian Revolution of 1917, Russia became the core state formation around which the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) was created. Until 1991, Russia was called the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic (RSFSR); after the dissolution of the USSR, the name was changed to the Russian Federation. The main regulatory legal act is the Constitution of 1993 with amendments introduced in 2008, 2014, and 2020. The Russian Federation is the legal successor of the RSFSR, as well as the Soviet Union in terms of rights and fulfillment of obligations arising from international treaties concluded by the USSR.

Heads of State

Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin – the first president of the RF, held the position from 1991 to 1999. Under Yeltsin, the liberalization of foreign trade, the reorganization of the tax system, and other transformations took place, radically changing the economic situation in the country. The result of the transformations in the economic sphere was Russia's transition to a market economy.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin – President of Russia from 2000 to 2008. Under him, the Russian Federation restored real state sovereignty. He reformed almost all systems: from the judicial to the political, and restored the country's defense capability.

Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev – held the position from 2008 to 2012 and continued the course started by Putin. After the end of his presidential term, he was appointed Chairman of the Government of the RF in 2012; in 2020, he became Deputy Secretary of the Security Council of the Russian Federation.

Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin – was elected again in 2012, re-elected in 2018 and 2024, and is currently the president.

Administrative Division

Russia is a federal state, consisting of 85 federal subjects - republics (22), krais (9), oblasts (46), federal cities (3), autonomous okrugs (4), and one autonomous oblast (1). Each subject has equal rights, powers, and its own charter (constitution). Each subject is headed by a leader elected in accordance with the charter (constitution). The subjects of the RF have systems of representative and executive power, as well as regional legislation. Each subject has two representatives in the upper house of the Russian parliament (Federation Council). The division of powers between the federal, regional, and local (municipal) levels of government and administration is outlined in the Constitution of the RF and relevant federal and local laws.

To exercise presidential powers and resolve other issues of state development, federal districts have been functioning in Russia since 2000. There are 8 federal districts in total:

Central (CFD), administrative center – Moscow;
Northwestern (NWFD), administrative center – Saint Petersburg;
Southern (SFD), administrative center – Rostov-on-Don;
North Caucasian (NCFD), administrative center – Pyatigorsk;
Volga (VFD), administrative center – Nizhny Novgorod;
Ural (UFD), administrative center – Yekaterinburg;
Siberian (SFD), administrative center – Novosibirsk;
Far Eastern (FEFD), administrative center – Vladivostok.