General Information
Russia is playable from April 1st, 1503 to December 30th, 1922 and from December 25th, 1991 to the present.
See also: 
Soviet Union, 
Muscovy, 
Germany, 
United States, 
Ukraine, 
China, 
Belarus, 
Estonia, 
Latvia, 
Lithuania, 
Kazakhstan, 
Georgia, 
Abkhazia
Strategy
Present Day
At the start, move your soldiers to the Ukrainian border and immediately declare war on Ukraine for your cores. As Russia, your biggest threat is going to be China if they rival you (very likely). 
India is a natural ally for Russia because of their high manpower, size, location, and border with China. Allying with India is crucial in ensuring that China will be less likely to attack. If China starts to fall to a lot of rebels, you have to IMMEDIATELY attack them because this could be Russia's only chance to cut China down to size.
Decisions
Form Soviet Union
Requirements:
- Is
Russia - Soviet Union does not exist
- Government Form is:
- Communist Dictatorship or
- Socialist Republic
- Is not a subject nation
- At Peace
Upon Enactment:
- Country changes to Soviet Union
- Gain 20 Prestige
- The event New Traditions & Ambitions happens.
Form Russia
Requirements:
- Does not exist:
- Russia
- Kievan Rus
- Soviet Union
- Is not
- Primary culture is Russian or Novgorodian
- Administrative Tech at least 55
- Is not a subject nation
- At peace
- Owns core province:
- Moskva and Novgorod and
- Tver or Yaroslavl and
- Ryazan or Smolensk and
- Nizhny Novgorod or Vladimir
Upon Enactment:
- Country changes to Russia
- Gain 25 Prestige
- Set government rank to Empire
- Gain a permanent claim on all non-owned provinces in the Russia, Pontic Steppe, Saratov, and Bashkiria regions and areas.
- Gain country modifier Increased Centralization for 20 years:
- -0.05 Monthly Autonomy Change
- +1 National Unrest
- -0.05
- The event New Traditions & Ambitions happens.
Russian Ideas and Traditions
Traditions:
- +33% National Manpower Modifier
- -10% Core-Creation Cost
Ideas:
- Land of the Rus: -10% Aggressive Expansion Impact
- Siberian Frontier: Automatically Discover Adjacent Provinces When a Colony is Built & May Establish Siberian Frontiers
- Russian Artillery Yard: -10% Artillery Cost & +10% Artillery Combat Ability
- Life-Long Conscription: +50% Land Force Limit Modifier
- Abolish the Mestnichestvo: -0.10 Yearly Corruption
- The Table of Ranks: +0.25 Yearly Army Tradition & -10% Advisor Costs
- Broaden the curriculum of the Cadet Corps: +5% Morale of Armies & -10% Fire Damage Received
Ambitions:
- +1 Yearly Legitimacy