In the era of globalization and increasing geopolitical competition, the problem of influencing without coercion is an urgent issue of world politics. Using indirect methods of influence, such as the tools of "soft power", the state is able to protect itself from the negative consequences of power methods of foreign policy. At the end of the XX century, the American researcher and political scientist John. In the Limits of leadership: changing the nature of American power, nye first introduced the term "soft power" to refer to the form of political power and the ability to achieve the desired results through sympathy and attractiveness. The Concept Of John. Naya "soft power" has attracted great attention of researchers and practical politicians and has now become common in many countries, including Russia. The Russian model of " soft power "has acquired its own shape and unlike other States, Russia has chosen an institutional approach to the use of" soft power " and its instruments in foreign policy. In the article the author notes that the formation of the Russian "soft power" was held in three stages and reveals them in detail. The classification of the main institutions implementing the "soft power" of the Russian Federation in the areas of activity - politics, culture, values. The author agrees with the opinion of Russian researchers, who based on the definition of "soft power" J.Naya proposed a comprehensive definition of "soft power" instruments: "soft power" instruments are means of influence in world politics, based on conviction and positive attractiveness, which are used by the international actor to achieve its foreign policy goals.
