Here we are pursuant to Vladimir Vladirmirovich Putin's anointment and appointment - for the  third time - as the Siloviki's kleptocratic representative on earth.  Let's deconstruct a few myths about Wonder-Vlad:

1) He brought stability after the chaos and lawlessness of the Yeltsin period.  Actually, the process that started in earnest by Yegor Gaidar under Yeltsin's aegis finally started to yield fruit - to be precise GDP growth for the first time in a decade - with a posting of 0.9% growth in 1999.  Not exactly a boom but after contraction upon contraction of 7% - 12% of GDP annually; '99 represented a watershed.  A watershed that Putin had had no opportunity to influence.

2) The government under him headed by Kasyanov launched a process of credible economic reform including the 13% tax rate.  Remember this was during the period that VV (Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin) had promised - for 1 year since his appointment - not to change any key figures.  This was Kasyanov's programme, and Putin who knows nothing about economics other than his rent from Gunvor and other similar entities with semi-privatised cashflows, continues - allegedly - to kill and steal to ensure his rent seeking yields results.

3) In the early days of Putin's tenure private businessman Vladimir Guisinskiy was hounded into exile in Spain and forced to give up his commercial interests in Russia. The totemic interest was NTV which produced satire such as Kukliy - broadly based on the UK's 'Spitting Image' - which disappeared along with any other coverage that didn't fit into the category of fawning and sycophantic.

4) Yukos.  Needs no explanation though indulge me please if I point out one delicious fact:  just days after the main production unit - Yugansneftegaz - was sold, after being stolen, through a rigged auction to an unknown outfit registered in Tver and later absorbed by Rosneft, The Moscow Times reported that Igor Sechin had become Chairman of Rosneft.  Draw your own conclusions.

5) Berezovsky - no wonder the mutual hatred is so extreme; Boris is possibly the only character on the radar screen to rival Putin for the ultimate prize of being utterly inhuman - some might say.  Its a pity we give him asylum & its an embarrassment - no more no less - that he resides here given reasonable grievances by the Kremlin but they cannot understand that a judicial decision is independent of the executive branch of government. 

6) The biggest tax fraud in Russian history was committed by those who killed - murdered - Sergei Magnitski - whom I had the fortune to know briefly.  The perpetrators have been promoted and are enjoying their $$$$$$$$.  See this link:  http://russian-untouchables.com/eng/

 See this link:  http://russian-untouchables.com/eng/

7) Respected commentator on Russian affairs - Stanislav Belkovsky- alleges that Putin is worth circa $40bn through shadow holdings in Gunvor, Gazprom, Surgutneftegaz and others.  Belkovsky is on the record serially in the mainstream media.  He has never been sued. 

8)  Putin was elected president in 2000 after extremely mysterious - and very timely - apartment bombings of civilians that played to his - perhaps coincidental - electoral strategy of painting anyone who was not of fair skin as a potential terrorist.  Ryazan anyone? Hexagon??  The real pity is that the main thrust behind exposing this appears to be Berezovsky - thus neutering the gravitas of the point.

9) Journalist Andrei Babitsky kidnapped though fortunately unharmed.  Journalist Anna Politkokskaya - amongst others - dead.