Corruption in Russia is not merely a byproduct of poor governance but a deliberately cultivated system, according to Russian political scientist Fyodor Krashcheninnikov (who left Russia in 2020 and now lives in Lithuania). Speaking to the independent Russian outlet 7x7, he argued that the Kremlin has long promoted a "cult of corruption" in which holding public office is widely understood as a licence to enrich oneself, while citizens — conditioned to see tax revenues as belonging to the state rather than themselves — remain broadly tolerant of elite self-enrichment. Krashcheninnikov said meaningful change is only likely after Putin's death, when successor leaders could face sufficient societal pressure to modernise the state, pointing to post-authoritarian transitions in Spain, Italy, South Korea, and Taiwan as evidence that no nation is inherently unsuited to democracy.