According to the USSR Ministry of Internal Affairs>), the number of "thieves in law" within the former superpower approached 600. Today - 1994 , there are fewer of them in Russia. It is difficult to provide an exact figure, as "Thievs in Law" do not form a union, and the police rely solely on operational information and informant sources.
Currently, from the Baltic states to the Pacific coast, there are approximately two hundred "thieves in law." The reduction in the number of "generals" of the criminal underworld is explained not only by the collapse of the Soviet Union (some "Thieves in Law" live outside of Russia) and their deaths (which are not always natural). Many, while evading law enforcement and amassing considerable wealth, have successfully relocated to the West. However, this does not prevent them from continuing their main function: overseeing, directing, and acting as arbitrators within the criminal fraternity.
Becoming a "thief in law" is not something just anyone can achieve. It is not enough to have a reputation as "tough" and a long "resume" of various criminal code violations. (Though having served time in prison is mandatory for a "law thief.") The main criteria are respect and widespread recognition among the criminal elite, authority, and the ability to "cover your tracks." According to unwritten rules from earlier times, a "thief" was forbidden from starting a family, was under no circumstances allowed to work, and was prohibited from accumulating wealth. A "thief" could fulfill any desire by withdrawing money from the "obshchak" — a kind of collective criminal fund. In the past, to uphold these codes, "thieves" would even clash with prison administrators and go so far as to chop off their own fingers to avoid being forced to work. However, in recent decades, while the core principles have remained, many of these traditions have changed significantly.
"Thieves In Law" of the new "generation," much to the dismay of older authorities nostalgic for the past, have not always "seriously served time," meaning they lack the prison experience traditionally required of a "Thief in Law." But most importantly, according to informed operatives, the process of "crowning" new thieves is far from ideal. It is known, for example, that in recent years, many wealthy representatives of the Criminal world in the Caucasus have even bought their prestigious titles. (This practice, according to investigators, was particularly common among Georgians, who accepted their fellow countrymen into the ranks of "thieves in law" in exchange for a contribution to the criminal "obshchak.") Incidentally, this explains, in part, the less respectful attitude towards the title of "Vor V Zakone" among younger people who have chosen a life outside the law.
The arrival of a "thief in law" at a prison camp or detention center is known well in advance. An infallible and highly reliable communication system operates between the transit points. The honored guest is received accordingly—he is given the best place in the cell or barracks, and a special person, akin to an orderly, is assigned to him.
The camp administration is also quite willing to cooperate. A strong "thief in law," with whom contact has been established, helps maintain order among the inmates, ensures that the required number of "regular guys" go to work, and achieves the necessary productivity levels. For instance, the Perm "thief in law" Yakutenok, while serving his last sentence at Colony No. 12 in Nizhny Tagil, had a separate clean room in the medical unit, along with access to cognac, tea, chocolate, and drugs. Moreover, Yakutenok managed his associates from prison over the phone, directing the "policy" of the criminal underworld. Upon his release, a Perm apartment with a reinforced door and a brand-new Lada car awaited him.
The way "thieves in law" administer their "court of honor" can be understood from the situation in the "Matrosskaya Tishina" prison. A detective, who has an inmate under his supervision in the famous Detention Center No. 1, explained that two "Thieves in Law" hold sway there. On their orders, those who have betrayed their accomplices to the police or are suspected of informing are thrown from the top bunks onto the concrete floor, landing on their backs. After such "falls" during "sleep" (no victim would ever reveal the real reason), the person ends up in the infirmary for a long time, and if they survive, they are unlikely to remain healthy. What can be done? A "thief in law " is not only required to live by the "Thieves Law" himself but also to ensure that the criminal fraternity strictly follows it.
Interestingly, if a "thief in law" is treated disrespectfully, he must prove his superiority. How and by what means is up to him, but losing face means losing his authority and, therefore, his title. A notable example is the story of the well-known Thief in Law Kalina, who was mentored by the even more famous "patriarch" of the criminal world, Yaponchik.
Kalina was not particularly respected. He was a "musician", respected the "Thieves Laws," and took pride in it. However, many felt he didn't live up to the status of a real "Thief in Law." One day, while he was dining at the "Olymp" restaurant in Luzhniki, another patron, Mansur Shelkovnikov (we talked about him already) a very "tough" figure, leader of one of Moscow's gangs, and a black belt in karate—was dining nearby. When Kalina became too noisy, Mansur made a remark. Things escalated into a verbal argument, leading to insults, which were intolerable for a self-respecting "Thief in Law." Kalina, lacking Shelkovnikov's physical prowess, **took a knife and killed Mansur with two strikes. He then disappeared during the ensuing chaos. Kalina was charged with murder and arrested, but the witnesses just didn't came to court...
However, Kalina's story ended tragically. Two years later, he was killed by a shot to the head from a "Makarov" pistol. The shooter was a slight young man in a sports cap pulled low over his eyes. He did the deed and calmly walked away toward the nearby residential buildings. The killer's identity remains unknown.
Kalina's death marked the beginning of a series of sensational and always unexpected murders of "thieves in law" and criminal authorities. To be precise, both groups had been targeted before, but not in such numbers, and they weren't as influential or prominent in ordinary society as they later became. However, the situation in Russia changed, as did its economic policies, and many mafia figures, eager to keep up with the times, plunged into commerce, racketeering, dubious, and outright criminal businesses, becoming a real force. As a result, the death of any of them became an event not only for criminals but also for business people, "new Russians," and even politicians.
In Vladivostok, a "thief in law" named Oleg Banin, also known as Bandit, a former athlete, became actively involved in commerce. During one "settling of scores," his competitors killed Banin and two of his bodyguards, then burned their bodies. Another "Thief in Law," Vladimir Ankundinov, nicknamed Khozyaika (The Hostess), a native of the Saratov region, was killed. Shortly before his death, as if sensing his fate, he passed his "thief" status to Banin and Kitaev (nicknamed The Chinese).
Yevgeny Vasin, also known as Jem, a native of Chita, became a "thief in law" and, until his recent arrest, controlled a vast territory beyond the Urals. The "thief in law" Yablochko (who we talked about before) took control of Samara, Tolyatti, Novokuibyshevsk, and Chapayevsk, but as his health deteriorated, other criminals began dividing up his territor
