Black Widows distract media from Russia's other internal threat

The suicide attacks on Moscow's metro has reminded Russia that the Chechen problem never went away.

When Vladimir Putin became President a decade ago he vowed the crush the Chechen separatist movement.

What followed was a brutal military campaign that has inflicted wounds and grievances on Chechens that are likely to pass down generations.

Despite managing to reimpose Kremlin control over the province the conflict has spilled over into neighbouring Ingushetia and Dagestan.

The attack prompted strong rhetoric from President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Putin, who promised to destroy those responsible for the terrorists attacks.

Another brutal military operation is therefore likely. But Russia faces a greater existential threat than crazed extremists indoctrinated in Islamic fundamentalism with bomb belts strapped to their waists.

A week before the metro bombings the Russian people were up in arms about a scam that epitomised their country's endemic corruption.

It emerged that an official at a state agency sold four Mig 31 warplanes to a fictitious company for $5 each, then bought them back for $100,000.

Russia is ranked 146th out of 180 countries in Transparency International's corruption index, which estimates that bribery costs the economy £300bn a year.

Corruption also costs lives. The fire that tore through a nightclub in Perm in December was blamed on lax safety inspections. It killed 155 people, more than the death toll from Monday's suicide bombings and Novembers Nevsky Express explosion combined.

Therefore while the terrorist outrages and the prevention of further attacks will undoubtedly take priority, Medvedev should not forget that ordinary citizens will be judging him on whether he fulfils his promise to clamp down on the corruption which is making life that is already tough in a recession even tougher.