Quote Originally Posted by gaelic cowboy View Post
Russia never has had any of the advantages that the USA ever did.
Russian rivers flow the wrong way for trade, her agricultural areas while good are far from it's markets.
But we have to cross an ocean to do any kind of serious trading.

Much of the expanse has no one in it so effectively Russians live in a big field with the front and back gate open for anyone to walk in. You could say that is why Russin is obssesed with obtaining buffers to protect itself or at the very least why the elite are obssesed with that.
Canada has similar disadvantages, but not the same issues.