In Shalamov's "Kolyma Tales" there are some fascinating accounts of how the criminal underworld operated in the Soviet era, and its brutal contact with the poli

In Shalamov's "Kolyma Tales" there are some fascinating accounts of how the criminal underworld operated in the Soviet era, and its brutal contact with the political prisoners in the Gulag. 'On Tick' is particularly memorable. The wikipedia page "Thief in law" is very interesting and a serious time sink if it prompts you to read more about all these characters, and so is https://en.crimerussia.com/ https://en.crimerussia.com/