Russia in the global hydrocarbon economy

“Russia is a world gas column or a world kerosene”. These slogans are widely used in anti-Russian rhetoric, especially by those opponents who, giving them a pejorative character, try to show the innovative backwardness of our “resource” economy in comparison with the technologically advanced economies of the developed countries of the West. According to this group of experts, the use of a powerful Russian raw material base in the development of the country’s export potential puts Russia almost on a par with the backward developing countries of Africa. Is that really the case and whether we should “sprinkle our head with ashes” being in the top three of the world leaders in the development, production and export of hydrocarbon resources? The article offered to readers is devoted to detailed consideration of these issues.