The Contemporary «clash of civilizations»: have S. Huntington’s predictions come true?

The report attempts to identify the logic of world processes outlined in the mid-1990s by S. Huntington in the book “The Clash of Civilizations” and use it to analyze the current international situation on the basis of strategic documents of the Russian Federation, interviews and speeches of the President of the Russian Federation V.V. Putin. The selected sources determine the directions of the country's foreign policy, formally and concisely present an understanding of the challenges, threats and opportunities for Russian partnership. To achieve this goal, we need to solve the following problems using comparative analysis. First, to characterize changes in the balance of power on the geopolitical map of the world in the 1990s and 2020s. Secondly, to determine the driving forces of world processes (civilizations, political, economic interests). Thirdly, assess the strength and longevity of modern partnerships and alliances predicted by Huntington between countries representing different civilizations. Fourth, determine the reasons for the start of a special military operation in Ukraine from the perspective of the concept S. Huntington. Fifthly, in response to current geopolitical challenges, determine models for the future existence of Russia and Ukraine. Sixth, assess the role of modern Russia in destroying the dominance of Western civilization and building a multipolar world. According to our hypothesis, the simultaneous use of the conceptual optics of the civilizational approach and political realism makes it possible to more clearly and accurately explain the observed geopolitical changes. It is obvious that a number of S. Huntington’s forecasts came true, and the conclusions are repeated in the strategic documents of the Russian Federation. In the book of 1996 and in documents of the 21st century a permanent conflict is being reproduced between the core countries - the most powerful and culturally central states. The Russian Federation claims leadership in the formation of a new multipolar world order.