State and the multilateralization of policing in post‐Soviet Russia

Abstract

This article deals with the evolution of policing in late‐ and post‐Soviet Russia. It begins by showing that distinct auspices and providers of policing were to be found in the late‐Soviet context, even if, from an institutional point of view, they almost always belonged to party‐state agencies. Such a context emphasizes a process of informal multilateralization of policing prior to the Soviet break‐up. The article then goes on to show what has changed with glasnost and perestroika, exploring new demands for policing, new auspices and new providers. It argues that the market‐oriented approach of policing finds blatant limits in such a context. Finally, the article attempts to assess the Russian state's recent willingness to take control of private protection companies, centralize criminal investigation departments and delegate public security missions to the municipalities. These trends are likely to give rise to opposing interpretations.