Several million years ago (ask a geologist for an exact figure), the landmass that would one day become Russia was gifted huge oil, gas and mineral deposits. In fact, they were such rich and deep deposits that even 70 years of communist ineptitude could not entirely wipe them out. Some boring, but telling facts:OIL: By one estimate, 20% of the world's known oil reserves are in Russia. Russia currently supplies the US with 4% of its oil.