Well.. I happen to have some experience, been there some +200 times during last 18 years. All the ugly stories are absolutely true, it is probably the most corrupted country in the whole world. Everything, really everything is for sale.
I've witnessed some unbelievable things in the traffic - for instance you can pay all your traffic fines in advance for one year, whatever you do, no matter how much you do over speeding, as long as you have the receipt to show to traffic police "I paid already" - you are free to go. For serious traffic crimes you can buy in advance an ID-card signed by the highest road police officer, sitting in Moscow, in which he insists all road police officers to assist you and help your trip to continue without delays. These things are not cheap but you can buy them. And these are just road traffic examples.
Firearms - hunting rifles are ok but handguns are not, officially. But, everything is for sale so licences are available also, it is just a matter of money and connections.
To learn more, look at this - I can assure everything is true:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/de ... leptocracy