Most Western analysis treats Russia as a normal government pursuing national interests. That assumption is the core error. In this video, Kyiv Post’s Dr. Jason Jay Smart explains how the Kremlin uses the trappings of statehood, ministries, courts, and intelligence services as tools to protect a ruling network and monetize power.
The Federal Security Service, the Russian FSB, sits at the center as the ultimate enforcer. Inside this system, paid protection is the business model. Russians call it krysha, the roof. It turns law enforcement and regulatory pressure into a marketplace where safety is purchased and competitors are targeted.
The result is an economy shaped less by productivity and more by access, protection, and controlled risk. This model also scales globally. Sanctions evasion, offshore structures, and illicit finance create channels that move money and restricted goods through intermediaries and third countries.
The same networks can overlap with transnational criminal routes and sanctioned actors, creating resilience that traditional diplomacy often fails to break, says Jason Smart.
This analysis focuses on political economy, institutional corruption, capital flight, and the mechanics of impunity. If you want to understand why pressure tools keep getting gamed, start with the incentive structure, not the speeches.