vote_for_putin.js

const currentLanguage = 'ru' // store this in global state (redux, window, localStorage, flux et.c.)

const countries = [
  {
    ru: 'Россия',
    en: 'Russia',
  }, {
    ru: 'США',
    en: 'USA'
  },
  // et.c.
]

onSelect = (selectedCountry) => {
  this.setState({ selectedCountry }) 
}

<select onSelect={onSelect}>
  {countries.map((country) => (
    <option selected={country === this.state.selectedCountry}> // maybe, you have to compare values not objects due to shallow comparison
      {country}
    </option>
  )}
</select>