Russia a 'Mafia State' Sapped by Corruption, Cables Show

U.S. State Department cables from Russia, recently released by WikiLeaks, portray the country as crippled by rampant corruption at all levels. The cables also portray Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in a deeply unflattering light, suggesting he has failed to rout the corruption that makes even him, perceived in the U.S. as a strongman with near-total control, ineffectual and at times outright ...