Over the past 100 years, our country has experienced dozens of large-scale and fatal shocks for the people. Power changed, wars took place and at the same time, a parallel shadow world - the world of crime - gradually formed on the territory of Russia. The peak of the redistribution of zones of influence fell on the 90s and 2000s, a bloody time that even today has its echoes in some of the most criminal regions of Russia.
The history of crime in Russia
According to international analysts in Russia, the share of shadow power influence on affairs within the state is very large, much higher than in developed European countries. All today's criminal leaders and authorities came out of the meat grinder of the 90s, when every day they shot in the streets, and young and strong guys lived no more than 30 years.
The most criminal region of Russia has become the suburbs and areas of Moscow. It was here that the most delicious and rich "pieces" were located. After the collapse of the USSR and the beginning of general privatization, cunning semi-legal businessmen were immediately found who bought whole plants from the state for a penny. There was another niche for the enrichment of new-found bandits - robbery, theft, extortion, abduction, etc. New Russians were not embarrassed by the most cruel and bloody methods. This era of total killings is almost over, although now and then there are reports of contract killings or showdowns.
Most of the surviving bandits, even thieves in law, left the bloody bustle in time and organized a completely legal business. But in the regions, especially in those far from the capital, there are still cases of outrages of one or another gang.
The most famous organized crime groups in Russia
The criminal situation in Russia in the mid-90s resembled a catastrophe. Power structures in almost all areas of the country were powerless in the face of tens of thousands of ghouls, who were furious with money and impunity. Bribery, nepotism and all the charms of Russian reality flourished as never before.
Several particularly dangerous and cruel organized crime groups were operating in the country:
- Solntsevsky (Moscow) - the history of the group dates back to the 70s, in the mid-90s, bandits kept all of Moscow in fear. On their account, the organization of smuggling into South America and Western Europe, kidnapping, killing people. The leaders are Sergei Mikhailov, nicknamed Mikhas, now a well-known businessman and a large figure in shadow structures.
- Volgovskaya (Tolyatti) - leaders began by reselling stolen spare parts from the Avtovaz plant, and later expanded their activities through robberies and extortion. The city’s police count 5 or 6 serious criminal wars that went on in the territory of Tolyatti for spheres of influence.
- Orekhovskaya - (Moscow) - one of the largest and most violent organized crime groups in Russia. The gang included young people from 18 to 25 years old, without brakes and any conscience, they were distinguished by audacity and complete disregard for state and even thieves laws.
In addition, in Ryazan there was a no less organized and loose Slonowski gang, and their activities extended to the neighboring regions of Ryazan. Most of the participants were killed back in the 90s, but many managed to escape abroad, including the leader.
The most criminal regions of Russia
Today, the crime rate is determined by the ratio and nature of what happened in the region over a certain period. The statistics are approximate and little conveys the current state of things. Indeed, in each region there is a different economic situation, a different standard of living and population. So, at the end of 2017, the leaders in the number of crimes committed were Tuva and the Trans-Baikal Territory, where 3,000 crimes were committed per 100 thousand people. And in this ranking Moscow is only in 12th place.
This is official statistics, and among the people there is a rating of criminal regions. The choice of this or that area does not depend on a numerical indicator, but on the general situation, what weight and power shadow forces have in this area.
Mine City
The Rostov region has always been on a special account with representatives of the criminal world. The region grows grain and cattle; the most important transport routes pass here. In addition, there are many mining and oil refineries with huge annual revenues. In the mid-90s, the town was flooded with hundreds of strong guys, there was practically no work, everyone went on a “hunt”, local residents were even afraid to go out after 10 pm.
Until recently, it was in the city of Shakhty that a cruel gang operated on the M6 highway. For several months, immigrants from Central Asia ruthlessly robbed and killed passing people. Spikes were put on the road, when the car stopped, the bandits took everything to the last thing and killed all the passengers. After the capture, the GTA gang tried to escape from the courtroom, where three of the five accused were shot.
One of the last high-profile killings occurred in 2012, when ex-head of the city Sergey Ponomarenko was shot on the street.
Astrakhan
The oldest city on the Volga was many times in the center of scandals. One of the most violent crimes of recent years can be called the case of Arthur Shayakhmtov. The group under his leadership in 2010 committed a bloody and senseless reprisal against an entire family. The owner of the perfume company Leskal was killed along with his wife and two minor children.
One of the most resonant organized crime groups in Russia operated on the territory of the Astrakhan region. Former police officers, young people 30-33 years old were engaged in raiding, kidnapping and fraud. For several years they were successfully involved in the removal of apartments. Due to their illegal actions, several people lost their homes, including orphans, elderly people. They deliberately chose weak and helpless victims.
Today, the official crime rate in Astrakhan has significantly decreased, although local residents still say that most of the cases in the region are decided by criminal structures.
Volgograd
The hero city during the Great Patriotic War survived many troubles, but survived. In the early 90s, a kind of war broke out over spheres of influence in the city. In the 90s, local residents led by Vladimir Kadin, a former police officer, created a strong and numerous group. The bandits were engaged in things usual for those times: robbery, extortion, raiding, etc.
But soon a stronger group from Moscow decided to crush the city for themselves, several killers and "infantry" were sent to Volgograd, which eliminated most of the gang members. The leaders managed to escape. In the late 90s and the beginning of zero, the crime of Volgograd was at its peak, every day there were reports of new and new murders.
Volgograd in recent years
In recent years, Volgograd "became famous" not for organized groups, but for the brutal and terrible murders of maniacs and crazy people. So, in 2013, one of the locals first killed his old friend, then an accidental woman on the street, cut them and cut off the genitals.
The case with an 8-year-old boy who ordered the murder of his adoptive parents made a big resonance. A man, a woman and a young girl were killed by 17-year-old boy friends.
The loudest cases
Each region has its most criminal and dangerous cities in Russia. In the Rostov region, these are Shakhty, in Ivanovo Rodniki and Vichuga, in the Moscow Region, Lyubertsy and Balashikha, in the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, Tyumen, Perm, Syktyvkar, Irkutsk, Vologda.
The most brutal and high-profile crimes of the last 5 years that have occurred in different regions of the country:
- In 2016, former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov was shot dead. The murder of such a major politician made a lot of noise all over the world, the opposition claimed that the Kremlin’s hand was visible here and Boris Nemtsov suffered for his bold views that contradicted official ideology.
- In 2009, Stanislav Markelov and Anastasia Baburova were shot dead. The killers were soon caught, they were representatives of a nationalist group.
- Perhaps the most controversial and mysterious murder occurred in 2006 in London, when Alexander Litvinenko, a former state security official, died of polonium poisoning. In this case, the FSB officers are still considered guilty.
Despite the fact that the gangster 90s are long gone, the criminal echoes of this time still remain. Many people prefer to solve problems by force.
The most criminal regions of Russia continue to be considered Moscow, Krasnodar, the southern regions, as well as distant regions in the North-East of the country.