The subject of this article is the main directions of the Western policy of «containment» of Russia and the factors contributing to the weakening of the Russian state. It is concluded that the policy of isolation and weakening of the Russian state after the collapse of the USSR has not changed. In these conditions, strong statehood remains the main condition for Russia’s survival. The author analyzes the factors contributing to the weakening of the Russian state. The research methodology is based on institutional, systemic, and historical approaches.