In his article the author has touched upon a very delicate and important problem of the foreign policy of Russia. The Baltic republics, as it is well known, refused to succeed to the former USSR by claiming the illegal status of the soviet occupation and subsequent incorporation by the USSR in the summer of 1940.

Under the process of restoration of their statehood in 1991 the Baltic countries insisted that their modern status as new states is identical with their former constitutions, which had been in force before the World War II. As it is known this position was practically adopted by most western countries except Russia. For this reason the author makes an attempt to analyze in the light of modern international law doctrine the Russian Federation's position concerning recognition of the state continuity and identity of the modern Baltic States.

The author has came to a conclusion that the state identity of the Baltic states cannot be estimated as full effective and appropriate in the light of international law. The consequent conclusion made by the author concerns the legal foundation of the Baltic countries' arguments in respect of their statehood and independence. The author expresses opinion that there is still no legitimate basis for these notions.