WikiLeaks cables condemn Russia as 'mafia state'

Guardian UK ^ | 12/01/10 | Luke Harding

[jerry557]

Russia is a corrupt, autocratic kleptocracy centred on the leadership of Vladimir Putin, in which officials, oligarchs and organised crime are bound together to create a "virtual mafia state", according to leaked secret diplomatic cables that provide a damning American assessment of its erstwhile rival superpower.

Arms trafficking, money laundering, personal enrichment, protection for gangsters, extortion and kickbacks, suitcases full of money and secret offshore bank accounts in Cyprus: the cables paint a bleak picture of a political system in which bribery alone totals an estimated $300bn a year, and in which it is often hard to distinguish between the activities of the government and organised crime.

Among the most striking allegations contained in the cables, which were leaked to the whistleblowers' website WikiLeaks, are:

• Russian spies use senior mafia bosses to carry out criminal operations such as arms trafficking.

• Law enforcement agencies such as the police, spy agencies and the prosecutor's office operate a de facto protection racket for criminal networks.

• Rampant bribery acts like a parallel tax system for the personal enrichment of police, officials and the KGB's successor, the federal security service (FSB).

• Investigators looking into Russian mafia links to Spain have compiled a list of Russian prosecutors, military officers and politicians who have dealings with organised crime networks.

• Putin is accused of amassing "illicit proceeds" from his time in office, which various sources allege are hidden overseas.

[2ndDivisionVet]

Someone needed WikiLeaks to figure that out?

[canuck_conservative]

Julian Assange will soon to be “the late” Julian Assange.

[dennisw]

Nothing new here, in fact the Putin mafia relishes this kind of image for Russia. WikiFag has to put out some really juicy stuff, then the Russians will off him.

[dennisw]

In other headline news today..... dog bites mailman

[justa-hairyape]

So they mixed in a few lies with a few truths. Situation normal.

[onona]

I know, right ? I was just thinking, is there anything coming out of those “leaks” that we didn’t already know or suspect ?

[TigersEye]

Maybe I haven’t followed this close enough but I haven’t heard a thing I wouldn’t consider common knowledge.

[Brad from Tennessee]

I'm wondering if someone at Wikileaks might have inserted fabricated cables in with the authentic cables hoping to raise tension.

[MagnoliaB]

That was my first thought too.

[MagnoliaB]

That was my second thought.

[Vanders9]

Accurate, if not very diplomatic.

[Carley]

Russia, the perfect partner for Obamao.

[41Thunder]

"Arms trafficking, money laundering, personal enrichment, protection for gangsters, extortion and kickbacks, suitcases full of money and secret offshore bank accounts..."

This pretty much describes our own government. The Chicago style thuggery of the Obama Administration fits this profile well.

[momtothree]

I have friends who emigrated here from Eastern Europe. Everything listed has been told to me as true. They recently had their car broken into and offered money to the police officer who came to do a report. He said, ‘no” and that doing the report was his job. They said that where they grew up it is common to offer bribes in order to get someone to do a law enforcement job. (no, we don’t live in P.G. County but that is another story).

[chickadee]

I wish that some Russian soldier would decide to become a traitor and download the Russian version these State Dept. leaks and send them to WikiBoy. Now THAT would be some fun.