Russia is still the home of chess

But per capita, Iceland is the best. 

If you knew anything about Soviet history 2Q you would perhaps rethink your statement.

Russia/Ukraine/China/United States/India   Chess power~

#6 and #7
The first point is do you differentiate between "Russian" and "Soviet".
The Soviet's had a tendency to "gang up". This was first noted by Reuben Fine when he was at a peak of tournament play.  It was decided that Botvinnik would be World Champion. When he played in tournaments outside of the Soviet Union he was hardly special but tournaments inside the Soviet Union he won.
Mr Fine decided to give up Chess pretty much. Mr Fischer decided to break them all.
I will always have a slight question with Botvinnik because he was chosen but did then play great chess later.
The same seemed to be true of Karpov, who likewise was chosen first and great later.
The Soviet chess system collapsed (Spassky and Korchonoi both became non-resident).
Russians at the highest level today are all there on personal merit.
India, China, Russia and the United States have the population and chess interest to produce great players so they do.  

The Soviet chess system collapsed? Let me have my doubts! Perhaps it appears not strong to force many things outside the borders but the " underground " still working. Looking for evidence? Don't search much. Just see FIDE. Who are working for them. Who organize their official tournaments? Who is Agon? Why FIDE appointed GM Apraimaschvilli to open the last World Rapid and Blitz championship when it is well known that he has convicted in the past for setting up tournament events?

What part of it: being the primary arms supplier to North Korea, the trainers of their kidnap-South-Korean teams, or the Russian pilots flying the North Korean MIGs during the Korean War?

One of my teachers, earlier during the Korean War was given an intense course in fluent Russian (which he had originally taken as a college intro course because the teacher was one of the last of the Romanov Russian royalty) by the U.S. Airforce so he could listen in on "North Korean" pilots.

i don't miss the Cold War at all.  I don't miss nuclear air-raid drills, or people digging fallout shelters in their back yards, or the Cuban Missile Crisis, or Vietnam - where a lot of ROK Marines fought and died, or Khrushchev banging his shoe on a UN table while yelling, "We will bury you!"

Well said Mick.

apologies , last post was not relevant to op thread , i deleted

id say that the russian model ie via schools as part of cirriculum , is the way chess best develops in a country

china seem to be taking this route

america i fear are not due to cuts in funding but have had sucess with it before

india , could be a great but the caste system where many dont receive full education ie till late teens is holding them back

During the 1900's Russia was the steward of chess.  Before the St.Petersburg tournaments sponsored by royalty the home was England, France, and Germany.  Way before that it was Spain and Italy.  Maybe the USA, China, or India will be the next steward.

You are right, MickinMD. I wasn't clear of what I was saying. Thinking after reading your post, I only miss the small fraction of its culture. Their chess, maybe some of the movies, some songs, literatures also. Too late for a second thought now, I don't miss it as a nation at all. Thanks for reminding me of the cold war. It was a conversational blunder of mine to not think of it before mentioning the soviet.

I admire they're  obsession at least a battle on a game board, but I would like to challenge them to make a contribution to the betterment of the world with the same passion.