Over the past eighteen years, Vladimir Putin has perfected a peculiar style of rule in Moscow. A product of the KGB, Putin quickly appointed many of his siloviki colleagues to senior positions in the government shortly after coming to power. Once in office, his associates enriched themselves by looting state resources and seizing vulnerable private resources. The quest for economic gain also opened the door to cooperation between senior government officials and organized crime.

Issue Brief

Jul 31, 2018

How the United States can combat Russia’s kleptocracy

By Anders Åslund

Over the past eighteen years, Vladimir Putin has perfected a peculiar style of rule in Moscow. Once in office, his associates enriched themselves by looting state resources and seizing vulnerable private resources.

Corruption Russia

The Atlantic Council will bring together a panel of experts for a discussion entitled Putin’s Rule: Siloviki and Kleptocrats. Speakers include: Dr. Anders Åslund, senior fellow, Eurasia Center, Atlantic Council; Ms. Elizaveta Osetinskaya, fellow, Investigative Reporting Program, University of California – Berkeley; Dr. Louise Shelley, Omer L. and Nancy Hirst endowned chair and professor, Schar School of Policy and Government, George Mason; and Dr. Brian Taylor, professor and Chair of Political Science, Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University. The panel discussion is moderated by Ambassador John Herbst, director, Eurasia Center, Atlantic Council.

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