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The '''Russian Mafia''', also known as the '''Mafiya''' is an organized crime syndicate that is similar to the [[Sicilian]] or Italian-American [[Mafia]], only they're from [[Russia]] rather than [[Italy]], [[Canada]], or the [[United States]]. They commit many of the same crimes, including but not limited to [[drug]] dealing, [[gun]] running, [[money laundering]], heists, [[bribery]], contract killing, and cybercrime.

The '''Russian Mafia''', also known as the '''Mafiya''' is an organized crime syndicate that is similar to the [[Sicilian]] or Italian-American [[Mafia]], only they're from [[Russia]] rather than [[Italy]], [[Canada]], or the [[United States]]. They commit many of the same crimes, including but not limited to [[drug]] dealing, [[gun]] running, [[money laundering]], heists, [[bribery]], contract killing, and cybercrime.

In [[Soviet]] times, the Russian mafia flourished in conjunction with the [[KGB]]. Both Western trade and financial [[NGO]]s ([[IMF]], [[WTO]], [[World Bank]]) and Soviet entities ([[COMECON]]) refused trade between the Western Powers and the Soviet bloc. The Russian mafia grew very rich and powerful smuggling foreign made consumer goods into the [[Soviet Union]] while paying bribes, [[kickback]]s and a share of the profits to the KGB, which also functioned as the Soviet border guard.  Thus an unholy alliance between Russian organized crime and Soviet [[law enforcement]] was born which gave Soviet people and [[Communist]] party [[elite]] access to Western consumer goods [[socialist]] [[economy]] was in capable of producing.

In [[Soviet]] times, the Russian mafia flourished in conjunction with the [[KGB]]. Both Western trade and financial [[NGO]]s ([[IMF]], [[WTO]], [[World Bank]]) and Soviet entities ([[COMECON]]) refused trade between the Western Powers and the Soviet bloc. The Russian mafia grew very rich and powerful smuggling foreign made consumer goods into the [[Soviet Union]] while paying bribes, [[kickback]]s and a share of the profits to the KGB, which also functioned as the Soviet border guard.  Thus an unholy alliance between Russian organized crime and Soviet [[law enforcement]] was born which gave Soviet people and [[Communist]] party [[elite]] access to Western consumer goods which the [[socialist]] [[economy]] was incapable of producing.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, many ex-KGB found fulltime employment with their former partners in the Russian mafia, which had distribution networks for illegal goods throughout the former Soviet Union, including not only Western made consumer goods, but [[narcotic]]s and [[human trafficking]] as well.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, many ex-KGB found fulltime employment with their former partners in the Russian mafia, which had distribution networks for illegal goods throughout the former Soviet Union, including not only Western made consumer goods, but [[narcotic]]s and [[human trafficking]] as well.