Russia is sliding further into “Putin World” as the hopes for Democracy have been fading fast. Looking into Mr. Putin’s eyes we do not see his soul but a crackdown on “freedom of the press” and “freedom of speech” as professionals speaking out are seen as dissidents.

The most recent death occurred this past week as Russian journalist Ivan Safronov fell four stories from his apartment in Moscow. Once again, authorities have ruled out foul play but it seems Mr. Safronov spilled oranges from a shopping bag in his stairwell before exiting his living quarters via a window.

Some crimes leave a “paper trail” but in Russian the trail is one of blood and bodies. What was Mr. Safronov’s “crime”? Working for the newspaper Kommersant, Mr. Safronov reported on Russia’s failed test launches (three consecutive) based from nuclear submarines.

In addition, Mr. Safronov was investigating Russian sales of missiles and advanced fighter jets to Iran and Syria from Belarus. Safronov had been threatened with a criminal investigation.

The Wall Street Journal notes 13 journalists have been murdered in Russia since Vladimir Putin became president in 2000 and 43 journalists have been killed in Russia during the last 15 years.

The Committee to Protect Journalists reports Russian journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was murdered on Oct. 7,  2006 in a contract-style killing in her own elevator in Moscow while returning from a trip to the grocery store. Paul Klebnikov, the American editor of Forbes Russia, was executed outside his Moscow office in July 2004.

Responding to an international outcry over the murder of Russia’s top investigative reporter, President Vladimir Putin vowed to protect the press.

“For our country … the issue of journalist persecution is one of the most pressing. And we realize our degree of responsibility in this,” Putin said at his annual news conference in the Kremlin’s Round Hall. “We will do everything to protect the press corps.”

It seems everyone didn’t get the message and the Russian court system is failing to secure convictions for the trials they have had.

Alexander Litvinenko blamed Mr. Putin personally for his poisoning from his deathbed, presumably carried out by Russian businessman, Andrei Logovoi, who left traces of the deadly polonium everywhere he visited in Europe, including a public meeting place with Mr. Litvinenko.

Speaking out in Russia is a deadly game and American’s in the United States are not immune to attempts on their lives. Paul Joyal, an American expert on the KGB, was shot outside his suburban Maryland home last week. His crime? Mr. Joyal had told NBC’s Dateline that

“a message has been communicated to anyone who wants to speak out against the Kremlin: ‘If you do, no matter who you are, where you are, we will find you, and we will silence you — in the most horrible way possible.’”

While Russian moves backwards to an authoritarian government, tactics against “enemies of the state” appear to be at work. Disappearances, “accidents”, tainted drinks and cold- blooded murder are the choice to quiet anyone who complains.