MOSCOW, October 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russian Premier Vladimir Putin drew attention on Thursday to corruption within the country's regulatory bodies

The premier said that in many cases firms were forced by corrupt officials to collect unnecessary documents in order to receive licenses.

Putin said the organizations responsible for granting the licenses often had close links to the officials.

"These control and regulatory measures have turned into a profitable business," he said.

His comments came on the day that the Cabinet heard a Prosecutor General's Office report on the activities of regulatory bodies.

"I am expecting the management of state bodies to carry out a thorough analysis of the facts gathered by the Prosecutor General," Putin said.