G.P. Fedotov wrote in 1929 that "...no-one can argue with the threat of separatist movements, tearing away at the body of Russia. Dozens of nationalist mentalities emerged and were strengthened in its weakened body during the eleven years of revolution. Some of them have already acquired threatening strength." It was the same author who in 1947 - 12 -

said the following: "Removal of the heavy burden, which has been threatening the peoples of Russia for thirty years will entail an outburst of all the latent revolutionary and centrifugal forces. While the Russian people will square accounts with their executioners, in the inevitable overall chaos the majority of the nations, as happened in 1917, will demand the right to separate."

I.A.Ilyin saw alternatives for Russia: "... after the downfall of the Bolsheviks ... two opportunities will appear: either a Russian nationalist dictatorship will emerge within Russia and will take the firm 'reins of government' in its hands... and will lead Russia toward integrity, cutting short all and any separatist movements in the country; or such a dictatorship will not arise, and an

unimaginable chaos of transformations, recurrences, revenge, massacre, transport breakdowns, unemployment, hunger, cold and anarchy will begin".

Regarding some parts of the former USSR (and of course, Communist Russia), if the second scenario envisaged by I.A.Ilyin was almost fully realized, and if it is also quite realistic as regards modern-day Russia, then would it be logical to pose the question of what will happen to the present Russia? And an even more painful issue - of whether Russia will exist at all. If so, in what form as a state? Will it necessarily be a dictatorship?

To answer these questions, we must first address another: what is the present state structure of Russia? In other words, it is worthwhile to assess the situation from the point of view of the relationship between the Russian territories and the central authorities?

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