You are right Grim - following blog is old but still applies:
breakingdefense.com/.../the-new-great-power-triangle-tilt-china-russia-vs...
Jun 19, 2014 - While Obama spoke in Europe of Russia's perfidy and the need to ... As a declining power Russia is going to discover that it can't realistically divorce itself from .... your oil, your titanium, your aluminum, your gold and diamonds and hope ... tale of a tiger...you can't let go, but you can't hold on forever either.