What is the reality of Russian hegemony?

My narrow American POV tells me that the Russians are living under some sort of anarchical tyranny.

I would really like to believe that I am wrong, and that the truth is that Russia has a relatively firm grip on domestic security, politics, and its economy.

Does the Russian gov’t know what’s going on in Russia, or is everything over there a cluster fluff?

I have heard now of a Clan War…Crime families…Black Market Nuclear Weapon Sales…Political upheaval…

If half of this is true…