Russian Culture and how Russian leaders harness it as a center of gravity for global power projection and balance

Russian culture is rooted in the will of the people, not the will of her leaders, the world or the impulses of modernity. So what role does Russian culture play in the global balance of power? Russian people are tribal in nature and have embraced a caste system since the 17th century (insert citation and expound on this here). Familial obligations and communal living sustained through agricultural production are a center of gravity within the Russian culture.