for most of the 1900s, the soviet union was a superpower. after the soviet union split into a lot of smaller countries in 1991, it was not a superpower anymore. russia got most of the soviet union's nuclear weapons, and also its permanent seat in the security council. some other countries also have nuclear weapons now, and can also start a nuclear war just as well, but they are not permanent members with veto power. the republic of india, and pakistan are a few countries like this. in order to be a superpower, a country must dominate economic, cultural, and military as well as diplomatic influence.