In Stalin's time the NKVD had national factions--khvosti (tails)--that competed for the dictator's favor. He kept them all off balance through an arbitrary sequence of national operations purges--Karelians, Poles, Jews, Armenians. It was called the salami tactic, cut one slice at a time. Putin's salami cutter is much smaller and the siloviki and oligarchic khvosti are much bigger. Unlike in a centrally planned economy the pit bulls under the carpet covering up the factional wars take place procedurally through court battles for the control of companies, as well as through windows when these fail to settle on a winner. Putin, of course, referees who wins in court since Russia is a rule by law and not a rule of law state.