The article characterizes the present condition of civil and ethnic identity of Russian population; allocates the tendency to the actualization of ethnic identity among residents of bordering territories. The given process is caused by a wide spectrum of factors on the global, country and regional level. The authors conclude that contemporary global processes, peculiarities of social-economic condition and political elite actions promote to the strengthening of ethnic aspects on Russians’ identity which threatens national and social security. The Formation of the “all-Russian” civil identity, providing consolidation of population basing on common values and priorities, is the necessary condition of preserving sovereignty and totality of the country. At the same time, a low level of institutional trust and social-economic problems results in strengthening of ethnic identification as the most effective instrument of social adaptation.