Reuters/Sergei KarpukhinAbout one year from now, on March 18, 2018, Russia will hold a presidential election. This will take place against the backdrop of an economic crisis that will continue to plague the country in the coming year. Russia's biggest challenges will be internal, and the countryside will show more signs of crisis. The five maps below are a very strong indication of Russia’s growing instability.Map #1: Governors who have lost or are at risk of losing their posts Mauldin Economics President Vladimir Putin's most recent move to secure his political power at both regional and national levels is a purge of Russian governors.