Thieves. The History of Organized Crime in Russia

Abroad they are called the «Russian mafia», for us they are bandits, but both here and there they are referred to as «thieves». They are everywhere — in movies, books, crime reports, and of course, on the streets. Thieves' jargon has entered everyday speech, chanson — one of the most popular musical genres, and the criminal world continues to exert pressure on business. At the same time, the «thieves» are constantly changing and adapting to the demands of the moment: they abandon the principles for which their predecessors died, adopt tactics from their foreign «colleagues», master new technologies, and skillfully disguise themselves.

The book by British political scientist, expert on international crime and Russian special services Mark Galeotti, — an exciting journey through the history of the thieves' world in Russia: from Yaponchik (1891–1919) to Yaponchik (1940–2009). Galeotti tells about the birth and death of old «concepts», explains the key differences between Vladivostok organized crime groups and those from St. Petersburg, and shows how the relentless logic of the criminal world works.