because of the end of the soviet union, russia went through a large change politically, economically, and militarily. first off the soviet union became the russian federation. people now consider that the federation is a follow up of the soviet union. however, post-soviet russia lacked the military and political power of the former ussr. now that communism died, russia could elect a president. in june 1991, boris yeltsin was elected as the first president of russia.