44 min listen
The Brutal Russian Mafia Wars of Tolyatti, Russia's Detroit
The Brutal Russian Mafia Wars of Tolyatti, Russia's Detroit
ratings:
Length:
48 minutes
Released:
Mar 8, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Description
In the 1980s, as the Soviet empire crumbled, organized criminals eyed up the sprawling VAZ automobile plant in the city of Tolyatti, “Russia’s Detroit.” When it collapsed all hell broke loose. Old-school “thimble kings” battled it out with bodybuilding skinheads, Chechen paramilitaries and the Volgas, partying hotheads who’d become a fearsome mob, for supremacy over one of Russia’s most fabled companies. It’d take hundreds of deaths and Kremlin SWAT teams to bring the bloodshed to an end.
A story that we don’t think has been reported in English before, the Tolyatti Car Gang Wars are one of Russian crime’s bloodiest episodes. And given the terrible things they’re doing now, that says a lot.
A story that we don’t think has been reported in English before, the Tolyatti Car Gang Wars are one of Russian crime’s bloodiest episodes. And given the terrible things they’re doing now, that says a lot.
Released:
Mar 8, 2022
Format:
Podcast episode
Titles in the series (100)
BONUS PATREON MADE FREE: Nigeria's Cults and Revolution with Omoyele Sowore: Building off our Nigerian Cults episode: Omoyele Sowore was attacked by the cults as a student leader, saw them morph into political power, and tried to take them down. Now the New Jersey resident - a journalist, activist and 2019 presidential... by The Underworld Podcast