Absolutely, there is corruption in all countries and at all times. But the difference is where that corruption is taking place, and whether it has large touch points with the citizens. For instance in the US and UK corruption is high up in the government, legal and business ranks, it is deliberately stamped on at the touch points with the citizen, so the citizen feels that there is a positive pressure and environment against corruption. It is not that corruption isn't happening, it is just the citizens don't feel it or see it everyday. Contrast this with Russia, where at nearly every touchpoint between the government and citizen, there is corruption, this makes it visible and seen by the citizen. It also means there is no concept of service, because you have to pay to get any service, but because it is black cash, there is no obligation to provide good service. So you pay and it is still bad. Yes there is some utility in the traffic fines, that you can get around, but also if you kill someone by driving too fast, you can get around that one too, and that doesn't seem like good utility to me. So if we want to kill this corruption, we need take the operation of government by a firm grip, and this is what is going on, through the army we have new military police coming, in immigration we have new centers, we are now having prescribed services that are free, Police are under pressure from the top ... indeed there is a huge range of positive things the government is doing. They can win this if they take control again of their officers. Then the citizen will not feel or see the corruption in their lives. This isn't going to happen over night, but in the last six months, I have seen more progress made than in six years before. Yes most people, still think it will not work, but let's see, as momentum is growing, I have seen more and more people backing these reforms and asking for more. This is one thing the government has to deliver on, so our people believe.

Robert Bridge, I just want to thank you for your insightful pieces about Russia. I do not always agree with all your points. Nevertheless, you offer fresh analysis about Russia that we do not get from the Western media report about Russia. Today, corruption is a global disease. It is wonderful to know that Russia is open up about its problems with corruption. As for the officer in question, I was touched by his video. I am deeply concerned for him and his pregnant wife. I wish him peace and solidarity. I do not think it's fair or hopeful to deflect this officer’s criticism as motivated- his claims must be investigated. He should not have been fired. He should have suspended until his claims were properly investigated. Firing him was a mistake.

Interesting. It is totally right to say the US has big corruption scandals. Indeed these, although foreign companies were complicit, were responsible for the global economic recession. We should call it corruption more; that is a more forceful and appropriate way of terming it than just calling it greed or something like that.

Russia does not have a monoply on corrupt police officers and corruption in general. Some countries are just more open with corruption. Many of America's police departments have bad/corrupt police officers. Generally, they circle the wagons to protect their own and American news media and judges almost always give the police officer the benefit of any doubt. A bad police officer can go to court and lie through his teeth but the judge will take his side because they consider a police officer more credible than an ordinary citizen. Wealthy Americans are more likely to be treated better and get off easier than the less fortunate. Political corruption is a cancer in America. I cannot believe any country has more special interest/corrupt politicians than America.

Let’s take a reality check. Some three generations ago, Russia went out of its way to deliberately throw off traditional values of European civilization. It deliberately persecuted, arrested, deported and killed its most competent people, replacing them with fanatics and their hangers-on. Then followed over 60 years of everyone having to live a lie, learning to suspect all around them, cynically scorning authority figures in private but know-towing to them in public. Versions of history were changed as often as a pair of socks. Hollow Marxist clap-trap replaced genuine ethics. And the whole terrible enterprise was overseen and enforced by the police, both secret and uniformed. There was no rule of law; the authorities, spearheaded by police, were a law unto themselves. About twenty years ago the socio-economic calamity that was the Soviet Union fell flat on its face, as it deserved to. But no one had to answer for their crimes against the nation much less be punished for these. Much of the old establishment seamlessly morphed into the new, ex-KGB dominated Russian establishment. History continues to be lied about, and archives are severely restricted even to genuine Russian researchers. Chauvinistic chest-thumping seems to be the new ethic which replaced bankrupt Marxism-Leninism. And at no time was any justice regarding Soviet abuses either done or seen to be done. Meanwhile, uncounted thousands of children who grew up in the stark cauldron of the GULAG, unloved and mostly untutored in any social skills apart from how to survive and stay alive in a slave labor camp, were re-introduced to general society, and their descendants cannot help but continue to leaven society with the GULAG's baleful legacy. From whence, then, is morality going to come from to change Russian societal sensibilities for the better? Why should anyone be surprised that unhealed Soviet wounds continue to bleed, especially amongst authority bearers such as police and officialdom?

It takes a long time to change a culture. The Soviet era, especially toward the end, was corrupt and so was the tsarist era. I think Medvedev can do good in his fight against corruption but it will take years, and some people in the bureaucracy just will not change before they are retired. Still, if his program can reduce diversions from the budget and resources by even a few percentage points, that will really be something. I wish him much success.

So Marzipan6, the corruption in Russia is Marxism's fault... And how do you explain the much greater corruption in pro-USA bloodstained capitalist dictatorships in S. America, Far East, Africa etc. Being a marxist there can cost one's life... So, where is Marxism there? In Czech "Republic" (an EU-NAziTO country) one can find KIDS offering sexual services to pedophile "tourists" with the blessings of local authorities... Trafficking is widespread in capitalist now Eastern Europe. Prostitution companies of all forms and casinos of all forms are being developed. Evil cults and CIA-made pseudo-religions are supported by the European Court, clearly a tool of the NWO, under the disguise of "freedom", while crosses and images of Jesus are removed at the command of these corrupt NWO fascists. Moral teachings have no place in capitalism, because they cause damage to companies that must be free to sell everything they like, even satisfaction to sick people that can pay it. Whatever brings profit is "right" and everything else is "wrong". Capitalism wants corruption. Capitalism needs corruption. In a true classless Marxist society, there is no place for corruption because there is no money at all and everything is free and if a true Marxist society can or can not exist is an entirely different discussion. I believe the second. But either way, you can't say it's Marxism's fault. And capitalism has legalized many forms of corruption under the disguise of "freedom". The cause of corruption is the capitalist way of thinking that successful life is having much money no matter how... So, go spread your western propaganda elsewhere. You won't find here those who will believe you.

Ergatis writes, “So Marzipan6, the corruption in Russia is Marxism’s fault…” Absolutely. Who else’s? Marxism was inflicted on Russia for almost 70 years, and what Russia had become by the blessed end of that experiment in 1992 was exactly and precisely the sum total of what Marxism had done to it. What Russia has subsequently become today, 17 years later, is the result of having begun from that bleak beginning point of 1992, applying the ethics, the habits and the character that 70 years of Marxism had stamped upon Russia, and dealing with the challenges of modern life armed with those values and resources. Ergatis asks, “And how do you explain the much greater corruption in pro-USA bloodstained capitalist dictatorships in S. America, Far East, Africa, etc.?” By the influences that have been at work in those regions of course, amongst which is tribalism, cronyism, nepotism, occasional drug mafias, general technical, civic and governance incompetence, and yes, to some degree also of capitalism, both of the legitimate and of the robber variety. Whether or not their corruption is smaller or greater than Russia’s I will not venture to argue. But I most certainly will argue that Russia, complete with its variety of corruption, is what Marxism has made it and set it up to be. It would be unrealistic to argue the opposite. I do not defend capitalism as if it was Utopian glory. It has plenty of problems today, and many, many more in past centuries when it was rampant without the counterweight of effective government regulation. Nor do I defend the misery, terror, death and drab poverty, nor the harsh, soul-destroying emotional and intellectual straight-jacket which Marxism has imposed on people on wherever it has been tried to be applied. I do note, though, because it cannot be denied, that capitalism has built societies in Europe, parts of East Asia, North America and Australasia that are vastly, vastly different to anything Marxism has achieved for Russia.

Thats new,i never knew Marxisim was corrupt,it was an ideaology of socialist values,which was adopted by its people,corruption is in democractic countries.Russia adopted democracy,its govt has to sort it out.probably ,russians watched to many hollywood movies ,where gansters made huge sums of money, because its govts were unable to do do anything about it.and thought ,nothing wrong with having democracy,its great.