The US financial meltdown and its global fallout have boosted Russia's place in the world, especially in Southeast Asia. The crisis came at just the time when Russia had made it clear it is a great power to be reckoned with in the new global scheme of things. It was no longer the broken empire it once was. With booming oil and gas sales and huge foreign currency reserves, Russia is resurrecting. Its growing polit¬ical and economic clout is gradually being felt in the region after a nearly 17-year absence.