They cant hold their country together ... but they can sway international opinion. They can also sent the bad guys all kinds of nasty stuff to use on us. They are not stupid nor weak, dont ever forget their fights on the eastern front if you think they are weak, and dont ever forget that they put up space stuff before we did if you think they are stupid.
Dont make an enemy of the Russians. I dont doubt that we would win a war with them but let me say that it would make any previous war look like a police action.
Just as when we said no you cant put a misle in Cuba They will say keep your hands off the region. And their "request" will stand unchallenged.....
Even if you do stil think they are stupid, and weak, which is a worse case situation... can you imagin 250 million weak hungry stupid people with nukes being told to fu... off