War in Ukraine: the choice of the Russian mafia
June 27, 2022 | Author: Giordana Liliana Monti

The "thieves in law" have prohibited members of the association from participating in the ongoing conflict: a choice that could lead to a violent internal split.

It is an aspect that hardly anyone has thought of, not being a priority and affecting only a relatively small part of the population, but as Professor Federico Varese, professor of criminology at Oxford University, writes this morning in the newspaper La Repubblica , the war in Ukraine unveils its destabilizing effects even in the intricate community of the well-known " Russian mafia ". Recently the " thieves in law ", the name of the Russian criminal community born during detention in prison camps, declared neutralitywith regard to the war in progress, and precise indications have arrived from the top to its members: the mafiosi will not have to take up their rifles either to attack or to defend. This is an indication destined to divide the criminal community and which could also lead to internal splits.

The Russian mafia has ruled on the issue through an edict, called in jargon «progone», a word deriving from the verb to drive out and which in Italian can be translated as a letter. Traditionally, edicts are written on lined or squared sheets, they see the main concepts underlined and are used to interpret the rules that inform the life of the members of the association.

The edict on the war in Ukraine released in April warned of how the Ukrainian authorities are trying to turn criminals into soldiers by doing everything to tarnish "the honor of good prisoners" - the text reads - and for this reason it is explained that anyone who agrees to fight in the army breaks the code will suffer worst consequences . The text was also published on the CrimePrime.ru site, believed to be reliable and whose administrator, Lilya Kharina, confirmed its authenticity.

According to experts, the brotherhood went so far as to spread a statement imposing neutrality in this war due to the activities of Lera Sumskoj, the nom de guerre Sergej Lysenko, a member of the Ukrainian "thieves in law" who together his group would be drafted into his country's territorial defense units. Other members, such as Zakhary Kalashov (known as Shakro Molodoy), Valery Sheremet (known as Sharik) and Vasily Rusan (known as Vasya Ushaty), all prominent exponents but without official roles, would be active in Ukraine, contrary to the provisions of the community code. criminal.

According to Professor Varese, therefore, the internal uprising of the Russian mafia that could arise is not between Ukrainian and Russian bosses, but between those who will continue to adapt to the traditional code that provides for never taking up arms for a state, and who, instead, he will decide to join paramilitary units in defiance of the rules he should abide by. Units that apply greater pressure especially in Russia

As explained, for the Russian mafia the initiation rite provides a solemn moment in which the adept recites the fundamental principles of the code, which however may subsequently require clarification.

Historically, texts and edicts were disseminated within the prison system but in recent years, evolving with technology, they are also photographed and filmed on Telegram channels.

In 2019 Putin officially declared war on the Russian mafia by passing a law that criminalizes belonging to the brotherhood and punishes it with a sentence of 8 to 15 years of imprisonment, which is why the new edicts are no longer signed by the most influential members of the cosca but using the formula «the mass of thieves».