OREANDA-NEWS. Former US President Barack Obama believes that the main obstacles on Russia’s path to superpower status are the lack of allies and military bases. The politician expressed this opinion in his new book, A Promised Land, which went on sale on November 17.

The 44th US President draws attention to the fact that Russia is no longer a superpower. With a nuclear arsenal second after American, Russia lacked a wide network of alliances and bases that allowed the United States to project its military power around the world. Besides, the Russian economy continued to yield to the economies of Italy, Canada and Brazil, and was almost completely dependent on export of oil, gas, minerals and weapons, Obama explained. He also mentioned the high rates of corruption, social inequality and the low life expectancy of the male population in the Russian Federation.

In Obama’s view, Moscow’s anger was largely directed against the United States. The ex-President explains by this circumstance Russia’s blocking of US-backed initiatives in the UN Security Council, as well as intensifying efforts to prevent the exit of the former Soviet bloc countries from the sphere of influence of the Russian Federation.