I didn't mean to imply that it is economically stronger than Europe as a whole. My goal was to present Russia as a significant growing economy in global competition to Europe through it's connections independent of european control. Russia has vast material resources on its own and is allying with anti-european economic independence globally. Subjugating or destroying the Russian economy would be a significant blow to this movement.

I do not mean to imply that Russia's support for anti-imperialist movements in Africa and West Asia are entirely benevolent but it is a threat to Western imperialist economic systems.