Abstract: This article is devoted to the comparative historical analysis of the blockade policy of the current President of the USA Barack Hussein Obama II and the Continental Blockade policy of the Emperor Napoleon Bonapart, who was attempting to undermine military, political, trade and economic power of its main opponent - England.  As a result of the comparative analysis method, the author comes to a conclusion that the Russian policy of President Obama, which is aimed at introduction and further strictening of legal and economic sanctions towards the Russian state and its people due to the reunification of Crimea and Russia, is copying the policy of Napoleon towards England, which ended in total failure and destruction of the French Empire. There is an impression that President Obama did not learn the history of foreign states, or failed to comprehend historical lessons.   Otherwise, he would have used the method of historical analogy, and it would show that any attempts of blockade of Russia are meaningless by their nature, and they are also harmful for the European allies of the USA.

Keywords: international relations, politics, Russia, Ukraine, USA, Crimea, Obama, interests, Napoleon, continental blockade

Abstract: The Ukrainian crisis, which does not seem to come to its end yet, has became a culmination of the contradictions between Russia and the Western states.  The policy of constraining, encircling and weakening of Russia has been known for many centuries, and it came to its high point in the early XXI century. The Maidan events in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine played a role of a bifurcation point defining the open confrontational character of the Russian-American relations, and considering the de-facto protectorate of the USA over the EU, the Russian - European relations as well.  It is quite obvious that the USA, the NATO and especially the EU do not need the Ukraine as such with its polarized 40 000 000 of population, stagnation economy and extremely high level of corruption beyond any indexes.  They are also not interested in advancement of any democratic values and guarantees of human rights in Ukraine.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Russia, Ukraine, political instability, international conflicts, state, interests, security, values

Abstract: What are the lessons to learn for Russia and other CIS states from the sad experience of the Ukrainian crisis. In order to respond to this question, there is need to analyze the factors, guaranteeing stability of the political system within any state.  Any political regime holds on "three whales". One of them is existing moral and psychological legitimacy of the government, internal support by the population, guaranteeing its consent for the existence of this government and rule of these political elites.  The second "whale" is the foreign political support provided by the global influence centers (in Ukrainian case it was the West, as represented by the Western Europe and the USA, or the East, as represented by Russia). The third "whale" is the political will, deciseveness and competence of the leaders of the state and representatives of ruling elites, which is express by keeping power and exercising control over the political situation. The fourth "whale" may be added. It is  economic and military power of the state, making the surrounding global influence center take the will of the government into consideration.  Let us see what was the situation with the main supporting points of political power in Ukraine...

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Russia, Ukraine, Euromaidan, riot, color revolution, international conflict, Yanukovych, security

Abstract: At the verge of 2013-2014 there was a wave of protests in Ukraine, which was caused by contradictions in the views of political forces on the vector of foreign political development of the Ukrainian state. One side was in favor of complete integration with the European Union, while another was in favor of the closer relations with Russia. Several days before the date when Ukraine was supposed to sign documents with the European Union, the Ukrainian Government has suspended the preparations for conclusion of this treaty.  It caused dissatisfaction among the forces, who were in favor of Eurointegration, the acute protest actions followed, and they were mostly aimed against the ruling elite. The result of the opposition in Ukraine was the downfall of the government.  This article contains overview and analysis of the factors of domestic and external economic development of Ukraine, including analysis of real and financial economy sectors. Analysis of economic parameter, such as the budget structure, trade balance, financial situation from the standpoint of business structure, correlation of foreign and domestic assets, vectors of capital movement in Ukraine allowed to uncover the connection between their dynamics and potential threat to the stability of the state.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Russia, Ukraine, political instability, diplomacy, state, nation, conflict, security

Abstract: It has been a long time since such an acute military and political situation with long-standing consequences as the current situation in Ukraine and around it took place in the world.  Yet another political crisis in Ukraine which took place in November 2013 continued as three months of tough opposition between the government and its opponents, and it was finished on February 22, 2014, with an armed insurrection was implemented and the government was taken over by the group of Yatsenyuk-Klichko-Tyagniboka representing the interests of the pro-Western Ukrainian nationalists and the fascist and extremist Banderovite groups. It took place the next day after President Yanukovych and the above-mentioned leaders of the opposing parties "Batkivschina", "Udar" and "Soboda" in the presence of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Germany, Poland, France and representative of Russia has signed the treaty on the conditions and procedure of crisis regulation. All of the Ukrainian government system fell under the pressure of opposition, Banderovite groups and the crowds of people intoxicated by the anti-Russian propaganda. President  Yanukovych, who did not show either the government power or the personal bravery secretly left the country just before these events and he hid in the territory of the Russian Federation.  Maybe for all of the people caring for the destiny of the Ukrainian people it was the moment of truth, and it showed the rotten and ugly situation in the Ukrainian politics and the lack of perspective in the efforts of Russia on honest and businesslike interactions and cooperation with the current Ukrainian political elite.

Keywords: international relations, foreign policy, Russia, geopolitics, political instability, diplomacy, state, Ukraine, security, conflict