“Vladimir Putin... had leapfrogged... to take charge of the Russian secret service... bringing in confederates from ...the {{w|KGB}}, and purging... enemies...[including two counterintelligence Directorates]... charged with investigating high-level economic crimes, which... involved Putin and his allies. ...Putin made sure ...both ...were ...eliminated. Having control over agencies that had the power to investigate you was... indispensible...”