Russia's resource driven economy has surpassed Germany's in terms of total GDP.
In addition, Russia is now a 'high income' country with an individual income of $12,616 .
This is sparking questions about Putin's EAU (Eurasian Union), which many argue is a revival of the USSR.
Putin rejects these accusations, comparing his plan to the European Union, stating that the EAU can become a “harmonized community of economies stretching from Lisbon to Vladivostok”.