Putin administration's policies and Russian initiatives to rebuild a Eurasian empire

As the current President of Russia, Vladimir Putin, nears the end of his reign, the shift in his foreign policy has become clear as well as the direction on which he has set the nation for his predecessors to continue. The shift in policy has come from above as represented by the Russian elite and central government, as well as a noticeable ideological shift from below by the Russian citizens, both of which focus on the anti-West rhetoric known as Eurasianism. The school of thought known as Eurasianism seeks Russia to reestablish itself as a Eurasian empire. The contention of this paper is that the first indication of the Putin Administration's attempts at empire building will be through reclamation of the areas known as the former Soviet South. It is through this territory and strategic partnerships that Russia may once again become a dominate global force both militarily and economically.