At the end of the last century, organized criminal groups were created in absolutely all large cities of Russia that kept the urban population at bay. Kazan, being a fairly large city, was no exception. On its territory, one of the largest and most influential gangs, the Zhilka, was formed.
What is a "Vein"?
For the indigenous people of the Republic of Tatarstan, the term “vein” is quite understandable. But for the rest it should be clarified that there is such a housing estate Zhilploschadka (Kazan). Here, by the name of this region, the gang subsequently got its name.
During the formation of the Zhilka gang, people from villages and collective farms who came to the city for a “better” life lived mainly in this microdistrict. The area was considered poor; most of his population lived in wooden huts.
It is worth noting that most active members of the future group, as well as the organizer and leader of the Zhilka organized crime group, Khaidar Zakirov, were residents of the abovementioned microdistrict. To date, the majority of the city’s population associates the housing with crime, lawlessness and danger.
History of creation
The Zhilka group was created not in the dashing 90s, like most criminal groups in Russia, but much earlier. The first mention of the gang dates back to the 70s of the last century now.
Initially, the Zhilka group was formed on the basis of the Haider Courtyard brigade. The ancestor and the undisputed authority of this gang was Khaidar Zakirov nicknamed "Hyder". He later became the leader of the organized crime group Zhilka.
The fact is that in the territory of the abovementioned micro-district there were about 30 small criminal gangs. All of them were engaged in petty thefts and other minor crimes. Khaidar Zakirov realized that, having rallied a number of small gangs around him, he would be able to get one large-scale criminal gang.
In a short period of time, Zakirov brought about 20 small groups to the criminal activity of his gang, the Haider yard. As a result of this merger, a criminal group was created, called the "Vein."
Declared themselves
In the winter of 1984, the Zhilka organized crime group took part in a showdown related to the division of the territory on Swan Lake. The organizer of this "battle" was Zakirov. During the disassembly, many participants "arrows" were taken to hospitals. And the instigator Khaidar Zakirov was taken to law enforcement, where a criminal case was instituted against him.
In this case, Zakirov was sentenced to 6 years in prison. However, the arrest of the leader of the Zhilka organized criminal group not only did not shake the gang’s authority, on the contrary: this criminal group became one of the most cruel in Kazan. Thanks to the arrest, Zakirov himself received recognition from the entire criminal world of the city.
While in custody, Khaidar Zakirov continued to lead the activities of the gang, determined the main directions and areas of development.
The first "victory"
Under the strict guidance of Zakirov, in 1990 the Kazan plant "Orgsintez" came under criminal control of the gang. This was the first major “victory” of the group. This company was engaged in the production of plastic film and chips and was quite profitable. The theft of finished goods and cash from the cash desk of the plant helped OPG Zhilka put together a good common fund.
A year later, the group was able to “crush” the Kazan Helicopter Plant, and also for some time “received a tribute” from the famous AvtoVAZ.
After such "conquests," the released Khaidar Zakirov became considered the recognized criminal authority of Kazan, and his gang "Zhilka" became the hallmark of the criminal world of the Republic of Tatarstan.
Nicknamed "Hyder"
Khaidar Zakirov was born into a poor village family. After graduating from school, he did not receive any working specialty, since, in his opinion, he did not need work. By that time, Zakirov was clearly confident that he would earn a lot of money not at the factory, but in a criminal way.
Indeed, Zakirov seemed to know from childhood that he would be a criminal authority. He spent all his free time playing sports: at any time of the year he could be met on the sports ground in his own courtyard. He went in for sports and from his youth he was distinguished by special perseverance and cruelty.
So, at the age of 13, he took part in a fight, during which he took out a knife and stabbed his opponent. Fortunately, the wound did not become fatal. But Zakirov after this incident began to be considered an authority among the local punks.
Hyder Principles
"Hyder" from a youthful age was a principled guy. Clearly established rules and principles, he carried through his whole life. Zakirov knew exactly what kind of people should be in his criminal "team."
So, to his gang "Hyder" recruited fighters only sports and disciplined. In general, discipline and unquestioning submission were the foundation on which the Zhilka organized crime group was built. Each fighter should always have a weapon with him (at least a knife or brass knuckles). He loved Zakirov to conduct so-called searches among his own, during which each member of the group had to show the weapons he had with him. Those who found themselves without a knife, brass knuckles or other tools - were punished (most often public beating).
Zakirov did not forgive insults. He literally introduced this principle into the gang: "If you have been wronged, you can only wash off the guilt with blood." Maybe. thanks to this principle, organized crime groups Zhilka quickly became considered one of the most brutal and aggressive groups that existed in the dashing 90s in Russia.
“The initiative is punishable” is another principle that members of the organized crime group have adopted since the formation of the group. Being a proactive person, Khaidar Zakirov did not tolerate when one of the gang members committed any actions without permission. The excessive initiative of subordinates was also punished by Zakirov in all severity of the criminal world.
A case is known when one of the gang members killed a woman with a child without Zakirov’s instructions. This incident outraged "Hyder" to such an extent that he killed the "naughty" in front of the rest of the members of his "team."
New Horizons
Having made the Zhilka organized crime group a powerful and influential group, Khaidar Zakirov himself gained authority and recognition of the criminal world of Kazan. However, being a quick-tempered, aggressive, and arrogant man, the Hyder made many enemies in his native Tatarstan.
Excessive activity of Zakirov began to interfere with many criminal elements of Kazan, so he increasingly began to think about moving to another city. In addition, Haidar believed that his gang should expand horizons.
In 1992, Hyder decided to move to St. Petersburg. It is worth saying that organized criminal groups of the Russian Federation have always been different in that they tried to seize new territories. Such a fate befell almost all the large-scale gangs of that time. Therefore, it was not surprising that the organized crime group Zhilka in St. Petersburg also established itself.
"Vein" in St. Petersburg
Naturally, the entire Zhilka grouping in St. Petersburg could not get over. Most of the gang members remained in Kazan, and under the strict guidance of Zakirov, she continued to keep the capital of the Republic of Tatarstan in fear.
In St. Petersburg, Hyder managed to increase the composition of the St. Petersburg Zhilka in a short period of time, pulling people from Tatarstan into it. Having gained power, the organized crime group stood on a par with such large-scale and influential groups of St. Petersburg as the Velikoluksky and Tambov.
In just two years, Zakirov and his “team” took over the entire Nevsky Prospekt (with all the shops, firms, restaurants and offices). “Zhilka” got hold of excellent connections in the capital and cities of the Volga region.
They step on their heels
Pursuing the expansion and development of his gang, Khaidar Zakirov did not notice that among the group members there was growing discontent caused by the tough and hot-tempered character of the leader.
In 1994, Radik Yusupov, aka Dragon, became the leader of the Moscow branch of Zhilki. Having stood at the helm, Yusupov declared Zakirov a real war. Upon learning of this, Hyder made an immediate decision to eliminate the "wrong."
This was followed by a split of the gang and a series of high-profile killings: the Moscow "Zhilka" was not going to give up its positions and with all its might got involved in a "war" among its own. The first blow was dealt to the closest friend and right hand of Haider - Radik Khusnutdinov: he was killed. Immediately after that, Moscow Zhilka eliminated the most active gang members and associates of Zakirov.
In the fall of 1995, the first attempt on Haidar himself was also committed. Zakirov and another 4 members of the gang rode in the elevator, and at that moment when the doors opened, an automatic fire line was opened at them. Three were killed, and the Hyder was seriously wounded and was taken to intensive care.
Later, through the windows of the chamber, in which Zakirov was recovering from the operation, a grenade launcher was fired. However, even then, the Hyder miraculously managed to survive.
Six months later, a new attempt was made on Zakirov, as a result of which he and two of his subordinates were shot point blank.
Fights without rules
The death of "Hyder" gave a new impetus to the war between members of the "Veins". Each sought to take a leading position in the gang. All applicants for the indicated “position” perished one after another. Once close to Zakirov - Islam Galimzyanov, Viktor Mikhailov, Alexander Navalov - were the main contenders for the leader’s place, which is why they were killed in the first place.
The internal squabbles affected the organized crime group itself: the lack of cohesion and discipline weakened the gang's position, as a result of which it lost its former power and influence. Soon "Vein" and completely fell apart into several separate small groups, which did not have any significance in the criminal world.
A series of high-profile killings preceded the fact that the entire group came into the view of law enforcement agencies, followed by mass arrests of gang members.
The organized crime group Zhilka (Kazan). Fall story
In 2001, Zhilka made its last desperate attempt to regain its former influence: gang members tried to take control of a large automobile salon in Tatarstan. This operation was directed by Irek Sirazov. The Zhilka organized crime group by that time did not have a permanent leader, therefore Sirazov, being a criminal authority with a rich criminal past, assumed this responsibility.
The attempt was unsuccessful: almost the entire Kazan "Zhilka" was in the hands of law enforcement agencies. Mass arrests of gang members led to the self-liquidation of the group.
The investigating authorities managed to prove the involvement of gang members in the commission of more than 25 murders and a huge number of other serious crimes.
Irek Sirazov, along with several other gang leaders, managed to leave Kazan and were put on the federal wanted list.
By the way, Sirazov was caught in 2007, and in 2008 he was charged with murders, banditry and the organization of a criminal community. He was sentenced to 23 years in prison.
200 years in prison
16 active members of the Zhilka organized crime group received a total of 200 years in prison for all. One of the leaders of the gang, Yuri Marukhin, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
In addition, many members of the group in 2001 were killed by competitors. So almost all the regular killer gangs were eliminated. In this regard, the investigators failed to prove part of the killings (including those ordered) committed by the Zhilka group.
The criminal case against the Zhilka organized crime group consisted of 100 volumes. The hearing lasted more than a year. The fate of the gang members was decided by a jury, which considered their guilt fully proven.
Instead of a conclusion
In the 90s of the last century, crime swept over Russia. Kazan was no exception: the Zhilka organized crime group was created in the city, which over time became one of the largest, most influential and cruel gangs in Russia.
Having existed for more than 30 years, the group, after the assassination of permanent leader Haydar Zakirov, broke up into several independent criminal groups that started an internal war.
As a result, the once-powerful criminal group lost its position and authority in a short time. And after law enforcement bodies were closely involved in the gang's activities, members of the group (which they had not time to arrest) hid in other cities and countries.