Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, to the north, were firmly within the Russian sphere of influence.

Instead he reasserted his claim to a Russian sphere of influence not unlike that which Washington claims in its hemisphere.

Persia at the time was divided into British and Russian spheres of influence, with a neutral zone in between.

An Eastern European diplomat suggested that there was great reluctance to interfere in a traditional Russian sphere.

Iraq is a key country in this Russian sphere, and the two nations have long had close ties, essentially trading Soviet weapons for Iraqi oil.

Germany had no direct interest in the Balkans, however, which was largely an Austrian and Russian sphere of influence.

Lithuania, along with Latvia and Estonia, fell into the Russian sphere.

Tajikistan has long been in the Russian sphere of influence.

They also wanted to join the project of European integration and ensure they did not fall back into the Russian sphere of influence.

It would mean, for instance, that the United States should accept a Chinese or Russian sphere of influence.