Russia should continue to be a great power--in helping nations become democratic!

 Through its great network across the globe, Russia should pursue the dream of President Gorbachev to lead countries that have recently turned to the autocratic form of government to turn to democracy.

Admittedly, there are problems with democracy and Russia could help solving them as it assists in bringing countries trying and struggling with autocracy.  The core problem with autocracy is thinking there is someone who has all the answers to governing smoothly and in allowing full contribution of the people, including critics and nere-do-wells.  Democracy aims at inclusion of all citizens including those who protest!

You say, "why bother?"  Because it's written in the genes!  I know this sounds absurd, but I contend the ultimate paradigm is the basic organic structure where there is conflict but control that wraps all functioning units into an organic whole.  It's the fundamental contradiction of the living and striving of human life.  The idea is to keep climbing up the progressive ladder of human powers, expressed in each person, such that God renders the final contradiction of human existence: "My thoughts are not your thoughts and my ways are not your ways!" The American philosopher John Dewey convinced me of his major thesis. 

And we're making progress toward resolving that inherent contradiction in human life.  There much less war among people; it is possible that peoples, no matter what their background, can live together harmoniously.  The late Queen of England pronounced  a tranquil 35 years of peace across the globe, just before she died, as but the symbol of God's peace.  It will continue.  The point is to move to the next stage of human control of his world: democratic governments.  (An old notion, that will continue to persist to assume right living, until we as humans make it to the next stage of development of the species!)

That's my impression.  Not suggesting anything; just observing the direction of our improvement as a species.  Next stage: toward universal peace among peoples; and acceptance of the other.