Finally, a Moscow Metro Map that deson't look like a Soviet relic

I'm not gonna write any more about Russia, because it's probably impossible for someone in a society based on large, reliable (if not always good) institutions to understand a society based on a much larger number of smaller, less stable, and less well-integrated institutions, like Russia. On top of that, Russia's smartest and most ambitious people don't have the option of going into some technical field or academia, because that just doesn't provide a comfortable life. So they aim for power, and as a result the game of power is much more complicated than e.g. in America. For anyone interested in Russia, I suggest looking at more basic things, like what life is like for the average Russian. Actually it's probably a good idea for approaching any society--to try to understand culture first, and politics last.

I want to ask, though--what are the right sources?

That's because in this part of world, the "provincial lords" are the police and local government.

Something like what? Litvinenko was as absolute nobody, without access to any privileged information, and without any original ideas. He is only famous for dying in a bizare way. Putin clearly didn't do it. He may be ruthless, or even a psychopath, but he's not stupid. He gained nothing from that incident, and his enemies gained a lot. Now, who likely did it--people who gained from it, and could only stand to gain from it, or people who lost from it, and could only stand to lose from it?