Ahh...your Russian friend is soooo right!
Very similar situation is in Serbia...if not identical.
It was always about small group of people being able to control ( and posses) MONEY and goods that goes with it which is actual POWER.During communism after they robbed everything worthy they didn't simply want to bother about anybody but those who wanted them out of power (political enemies).Now is a different story and practically the same GROUP of people just found another way to control MONEY.They didn't have to improvise to much...just look at USA.If you had a chance to see  Michael Moore's " Capitalism - love story" you will see that same GROUP of (bloody rich) people (bankars) actually dictated policies of all presidents and administrations (Dem and Rep) for quite a long time.And very directly...They on the other hand are probably able to pay CIA and other agencies very well so that hey do not need to be involved in dirty part of work.

Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind...Albert Einstein