I recognize that Russia has always been a player, with their UN security council seat etc.. But since the collapse of the soviet union they were rendered fairly harmless, with exception of a thousand nuke missiles.
Only after they opened up their economy to foreign investment and technology did the petro dollars start to flow and they started a renewed flexing of the muscles.
My comment is based more on their economic status than the political.
But in 2007, based upon the average F.O.B. price paid for world oil and their exports, that was 6% of their GDP.
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/rs.html#Econ
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_imc1_k_a.htm
Assuming a their price of oil rose the same average percentage that WTI did on the NYMEX, add 38% to the 2007 data for 2008. (2008 world prices are not compete in data collection and posted results)
http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_pri_fut_s1_a.htm
I'm not sure how much if any their 2008 exports climbed, but this still probably reached at the most 10% of their GDP.
It has helped, but they were far from insignificant in World Politics without this.
fairly harmless, with exception of a thousand nuke missiles
Fairly harmless, except for their ability to destroy much of the world's population... yeah, about that harmless.