In his latest in-depth report, The Criminal Russia Party, Russian activist and liberal politician Ilya Yashin examines the nexus between Russian President Vladimir Putin’s political party, United Russia, and organized crime. Yashin’s report demonstrates that the way to fortune and unbridled power in Russia is to curry favor with Putin’s United Russia party. High-level political appointments inevitably lead to access to wealth through criminal and kleptocratic networks. Laying out numerous examples, Yashin shows how United Russia has become a political club of thieves, mafia bosses, and even thugs accused of murder. When their crimes can no longer be tolerated by the regime, many political criminals end up in jail — only to be replaced by a new group of crime bosses friendly to United Russia. Yet, even as United Russia’s political elite has been accused of committing crimes in Europe and the United States and taking advantage of the Western political and financial systems, they are still afforded diplomatic cover and protection. Western policymakers must act to close the loopholes that allow Russian political criminals access and protection.

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