They've really fallen. There once was a time where they wouldn't have screwed something like this up.
Interestingly, a couple of weeks after this story hit the States (it's been in the news for a few weeks now), Putin lamented to the press about America's desire for empire. Victor Y. is married to an American, and a former Reagan employee. If Putin literally tried to have him killed, I can imagine the sorts of signals the Bush WH is sending over to the Kremlin right now. Can anyone say, Michael Corleone-style payback? Big bad Putin must be scared stiff.