Mark Galeotti epub Galeotti, M: Vory

The first English-language book to document the men who emerged from the gulags to become Russia&;s much-feared crime class: the vory v zakone Mark Galeotti is the go-to expert on organized crime in Russia, consulted by governments and police around the world. Now, Western readers can explore the fascinating history of the vory v zakone, a group that has survived and thrived amid the changes brought on by Stalinism, the Cold War, the Afghan War, and the end of the Soviet experiment.   The vory&;as the Russian mafia is also known&;was born early in the twentieth century, largely in the Gulags and criminal camps, where they developed their unique culture. Identified by their signature tattoos, members abided by the thieves&; code, a strict system that forbade all paid employment and cooperation with law enforcement and the state. Based on two decades of on-the-ground research, Galeotti&;s captivating study details the vory&;s journey to power from their early days to their adaptation to modern-day Russia&;s free-wheeling oligarchy and global opportunities beyond.