Medvedev anger at those following 'corrupt' path

President Dmitry Medvedev has expressed disdain for young Russians who want to become bureaucrats, saying it was proof of the country's endemic corruption.

Mr Medvedev has styled himself as a champion of democracy and fierce anti-corruption fighter, though anti-bribery groups say corruption has worsened since he was steered into the Kremlin by his mentor Vladimir Putin in 2008.

"I'm seriously concerned about the fact that young people want to become state officials," Mr Medvedev was quoted by the state-run Itar-Tass news agency as telling businessmen in the Kremlin yesterday.

Medvedev compared modern officials to Akaky Akakievich, the protagonist of nineteenth century writer Nikolai Gogol's The Overcoat, which centres on the unhappy life of an impoverished low-ranking clerk.

"Young people are deliberately choosing the path of state official Akaky Akakievich, (but] is it a prestigious job? Not really," Mr Medvedev said. "Is it well-paid? It is poorly paid".

"This path is chosen because it is a quick way of accumulating wealth, (which implies] corruption," said Mr Medvedev.