Andy “Now that’s what I call inflation!” Young has come across a few gems detailing the incredible rate that corruption and bribe payments are growing in Russia since just after Putin took the presidency. In fact, sincev2001, the average bribe has grown 10-fold.

INDEM’s “Corruption in Russia: Dynamics and Perspectives” report claims the average bribe in 2001 was $10,200 and has increased to $135,000 in 2005. The report claims bribes increased 10-fold since 2001 and equal to two and a half times the current federal budget.

The Moscow Times report he links to also that businesses and individuals are “forking out $319 billion per year to bureaucrats, police, educators and doctors, according to a study released Wednesday.” Corruption and the grey market are signatures of a breakdown, if not total reversal, in progress toward democratic governance. I would say that these numbers show, in effect, just how much Putin’s regime has had detrimental effects on the economy and the system as a whole.

UPDATE: Andy leaves a brilliant comment.

Under Yeltsin, corruption was a byproduct of greedy men taking advantage of the chaos around them; under Putin it????????s the byproduct of greedy men seizing control of the government.

UPDATE: RFE/RL has more on this, with extensive commentary — noting that the army is now one of the most corrupt organizations.