I would argue maybe the USA shouldn't be "cheaply acquiring" the cooperation of local police. Local police is meant to uphold local laws. The second you pay the

I would argue maybe the USA shouldn't be "cheaply acquiring" the cooperation of local police. Local police is meant to uphold local laws. The second you pay them to do otherwise in their official capacity both parties are committing if not a crime directly then at least an ethical violation, possibly a violation of sovereignty (given its a state actor putting it in motion). Just being the money doesn't mean you aren't doing something wrong. Unless the Maldives government was involved to a higher degree than individual officials who may have been paid off then the USA is most certainly who Russia should be directing their complaints at.