Lilia Shevtsova writes on Dmitry Medvedev in the Washington Post today in a bid to dispel some of the assumptions that are commonly made about the ostensibly reason-led, anti-corruption, reformist President.  Perhaps in pretending that Medvedev fits these labels, it is easier to deny that he and Vladimir Putin are both cogs in the same machine, she says.

Medvedev tirelessly speaks out against corruption, but during his presidency, corruption has become a way of life here and graft has reached an estimated $300 billion annually. He talks about improving the investment climate, but independent observers say that it was people close to Medvedev who launched the raid against Domodedovo, Russia’s most profitable airport — an effort that has been likened to the state’s takeover of Yukos. Yes, Medvedev has forced government officials and people close to Putin from the boards of state companies, but will state control of those businesses be weakened if their replacements are selected by the same Putin team?