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Brothers' Circle

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The Brothers' Circle or Bratski Krug (Russian: Братский круг) is a term used to refer to Russian organized crime, commonly the Russian mafia. It is a loose translation of the Russian term "Bratva" (Russian: Братва), which can also be loosely translated as “brotherhood” or “band of brothers". The term "bratva" received its wide dissemination in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and was used as an informal address among the members of many gangs which spread throughout post-soviet republics. Today the term is used as an informal way of addressing close friends. This form of address and lack of proper interpretation resulted in its name being used in connection to Russian organized crime.

With support from Spanish prosecutor José "Pepe" Grinda González and Alexander Litvinenko, Spanish, German, Austrian, and Swiss authorities from June 2005 until 2007 conducted Operation Wasp (Russian: спецоперация «Оса») (Spanish: Operación Avaspa) and, later, Operation Troika (Russian: Операция «Тройка») from 2008 to 2009 which led to the arrest by 2010 of more than 60 individuals including Zakhar Kalashov.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8]

U.S. Department of the Treasury officials suggest that it operates in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the United States,[9] and is controlled by Vladislav Leontyev, a Russian man from Nizhny Novgorod.[10][11] In 2011 the group was defined by the Obama administration of the United States in the "Strategy on Combating Transnational Organized Crime",[12] as "A multiethnic criminal group composed of leaders and senior members of several criminal organizations largely based in countries of Europe. Many Brothers' Circle's members share a common ideology based on the thief in law tradition, which seeks to spread their brand of criminal influence around the world."[13]

Debate over existence

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Mark Galeotti, an expert on Eurasian security, has stated that: "I have not found anyone in Russian law enforcement or elsewhere who actually says 'yes, the Brothers' Circle is an organization and it exists. As such the label Brothers' Circle could be seen as an attempt to connect disparate criminal gangs."[11] In June 2012, with the designation of five more kingpins, Galeotti restated his opinion that the Brothers' Circle did not exist as a specific gang, but noted that the sanctions were in fact targeting members of Aslan Usoyan's criminal network.[14]

Alleged members

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Harding, Luke (March 16, 2015). "Litvinenko investigating Abramovich money-laundering claims, court told: Police told Russian mafia investigation was likely to see Chelsea FC owner arrested in Spain for money laundering and buying land illegally". The Guardian. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  2. ^ a b de Waal, Thomas (December 22, 2010). "Mafiosi in the Caucasus". The National Interest. Archived from the original on December 24, 2010. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  3. ^ Harding, Luke (December 1, 2010). "WikiLeaks cables: Russian government 'using mafia for its dirty work': Spanish prosecutor alleges links between Kremlin and organised crime gangs have created a 'virtual mafia state'". The Guardian. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  4. ^ "El precedente: la 'operación Avispa'" [The beginning: 'Operation Wasp']. Diario Sur (www.diariosur.es) (in Spanish). June 14, 2008. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  5. ^ "Detenidas 28 personas en la costa mediterránea, 22 de ellas 'capos' de las mafias de la antigua URSS". El Mundo (in Spanish). June 20, 2005. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024.
  6. ^ "Detenidas tres personas dentro de la operación 'Avispa' contra la criminalidad internacional" [Three people arrested as part of the 'Avispa' operation against international crime]. El Mundo (in Spanish). June 25, 2005. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  7. ^ Tremlett, Giles (March 15, 2010). "Russian mafia suspects held across Europe: Spanish police confirm operation involving Germans, Swiss and Austrians". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  8. ^ "Cae en España una de las mayores mafias rusas del mundo: Al menos 20 arrestados en Málaga, Granada, Valencia, Alicante, Madrid y Baleares.- Detenido en Mallorca el jefe del clan.- La red ordenaba asesinatos, traficaba con armas y blanqueaba dinero". El País (in Spanish). June 13, 2008. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  9. ^ "Russian mafia most powerful in the world?" Archived 2012-07-11 at the Wayback Machine, 7 November 2011, pravda.ru
  10. ^ "Treasury Imposes Sanctions On Key Members Of The Yakuza And Brothers' Circle Criminal Organizations". US Department of the Treasury. February 23, 2012. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  11. ^ a b "What is the Brothers’ Circle?" Archived 2013-11-04 at the Wayback Machine, 12 March 2012, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project
  12. ^ Hopkins, Valerie (26 July 2011). "U.S. Attempts to Combat "Dark Side of Globalization"". Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Archived from the original on 18 December 2011.
  13. ^ "Remarks at White House Release of Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime". whitehouse.gov. 25 July 2011. Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 3 March 2021 – via National Archives.
  14. ^ "Another Go Round the 'Brothers' Circle'". In Moscow's Shadows. 7 June 2012. Archived from the original on 10 June 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
  15. ^ a b "The Fall and Fall of Salim Abduvaliev – Kyrgyz Authorities Place Uzbek "Kingpin" on Wanted List". The Times of Central Asia. August 8, 2024. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  16. ^ Marshall, William F. (July 2019). "FBI Organized Crime documents and items from Bruce G. Ohr (ODAG)" (PDF). Judicial Watch. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 22, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024. See pages 93-97 and 105-108 for Litvinenko; 122-126 for agenda for GLOBAL COUNTERING TRANSNATIONAL ORGANIZED CRIME (CTOC) ALUMNI COMMUNITY OF INTEREST (COI) WORKSHOP at George C. Marshall Center in GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY, held from 1 to 4 February 2016; 134-136 for Galeotti on Russian use of gangsters; 185-197 for Rosneft money trail and Litvinenko murder; 217-312 for Kazakh and Uzbek mafia, Sam Kislin, Kronos Capital, Tchenguiz or Cengiz construction, RJR Nabisco, Borden Chemical, Apollo Management, Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Tevfik Arif, Leon or Leonid, Elena, and Julia Turovsky or Tourovsky, Castle Financial, Bayrock, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Leonid Vasilyevich Kryuchkov; and 314-320 for Manafort chronology.
  17. ^ "Испания: в ходе операции "Оса" арестован глава преступной организации" [Spain: Head of criminal organization arrested in Operation Wasp]. RIA Novosti (in Russian). June 26, 2005. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  18. ^ "Операция "Тройка" прошла на "отлично"" [Operation Troika was a great success]. ntv.ru (in Russian). June 13, 2008. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  19. ^ "Испания: в ходе операции "Оса" арестован глава преступной организации" [Spain: Head of criminal organization arrested during Operation Wasp]. elcontacto.ru (in Russian). October 12, 2016. Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.
  20. ^ "Treasury Designates Key Members of the Brothers' Circle Criminal Organization". Archived from the original on 2013-11-03. Retrieved 2012-12-21.
  21. ^ a b c d e f "Obama Calls "Brothers' Circle" a National Security Threat...But Who Are They?". Hetq.am. Yerevan, Republic of Armenia: HETQ investigative journalists. 15 March 2012. Archived from the original on 12 February 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  22. ^ "Treasury Imposes Sanctions On Key Members Of The Yakuza And Brothers' Circle Criminal Organizations". US Department of the Treasury. 2012-02-23. Archived from the original on 2021-04-21. Retrieved June 27, 2012.
  23. ^ Петелин, Герман (Petelin, German); Баринов, Владимир (Barinov, Vladimir) (February 29, 2012). "Генпрокуратура не выдала Испании вора в законе Тюрика: Влиятельный "законник" Владимир Тюрин смог доказать, что является гражданином России. А на родине к нему нет претензий" [The Prosecutor General's Office did not extradite thief in law Tyurik to Spain: Influential thief in law Vladimir Tyurin was able to prove that he is a citizen of Russia. And in his homeland there are no complaints about him]. Izvestia (iz.ru) (in Russian). Archived from the original on September 9, 2024. Retrieved September 9, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Канев, Сергей (Kanev, Sergey) (October 12, 2011). "1423 А оказался, блин, уголовник: «Единая Россия» остается верна своему имиджу?" [1423 And it turned out, damn it, a criminal: Does United Russia remain true to its image?]. Novaya Gazeta (in Russian). Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  25. ^ Канев, Сергей (Kanev, Sergey) (October 14, 2011). "2757 Мария Максакова. История любви: Ответ пресс-службе «Единой России»" [2757 Maria Maksakova. Love story: Response to the press service of United Russia]. Novaya Gazeta (in Russian). Archived from the original on October 23, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2024.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
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