How Organized Crime Shapes the Russian State | DW News

Aug 25, 2025 | As the war in Ukraine drags on, some analysts believe the Kremlin is holding out for more gains on the battlefield. But beneath the surface, a darker force may be shaping Russia’s strategy — organised crime. Criminologist Federico Varese, an expert on Russia’s criminal underworld, says the chaos of war has reawakened powerful networks that could be influencing Kremlin decisions. A Professor at Sciences Po in Paris and senior research fellow at Nuffield College in Oxford, his latest book, Russia in Four Criminals, explores the deep and murky ties between politics and the mob.