Definition: In this task, you will be presented with a passage and have to answer a question based on your understanding of the events inferred from the passage. Try to find the best answer that is most likely to fill in "_". Note that the URLs in the text have been replaced with [Link].
Input: There was an air of confidence, arrogance even, about the leader of Russia’s World Cup bid on the eve of the now infamous FIFA vote in Zurich in 2010. At the time, some observers thought Alexei Sorokin was resigned to failure, such was his apparent insouciance. But Sorokin believed he could beat his main rivals, the English among them, and so it proved. Fast forward four-and-a-half years and the Russian, who speaks flawless English with an American accent, is said to be more nervous about delivering a successful World Cup. The problem is the collapse of the Russian economy, and a potential bill of £4billion just to build the 12 stadiums on time, with an estimated total bill of double that amount. Earlier this year only one venue had been completed, with Sorokin said to be telling sponsors the situation had become a major concern.Russia was awarded the 2018 World Cup by FIFA in December 2010Vladimir Putin assured Sepp Blatter assured Russia's economic troubles would not impact on the tournamentHowever, it emerged the Russian federation was struggling to pay national team coach Fabio CapelloPutin knows how valuable the World Cup can be for the Russian economy 
 Question:This came against the backdrop of conflict between the state and the _ oligarchs who had promised to help finance building the stadiums before the value of the ruble plummeted.

Russia