This paper argues the importance of using modern methodology of Marxist analysis for the study of imperialism and the so-called “empires”. This methodology allows to show the mechanismsof economic, political, ideological, and other types of manipulating “periphery” by capital and statesof the “centre”. On this methodological basis it is proved that capitals and state machines of semiperiphery countries in general and Russia in particular are mostly objects of imperialist subjugation and manipulation and only in some rare cases these countries and their capitals are able to be subjects of theimperialist policy. The authors analyze the contradictions in relations between the Russian Federation, Ukraine and the West, and present a system of political, economic and geo-political arguments provingthat Russia as a rule does not act as a subject of imperialist policy, and only in some cases (generallyrelying on the Soviet legacy) Russia is able to withstand the “rules of the game”, given by the imperialistpowers. It is argued that these few cases when Russia withstands the “rules of the game” is the mainreason for the imperialist powers’ diatribes against the “Russian imperialism”.