For those familiar with modern Russian history, the 1990s are often remembered as a time of newfound personal freedom and economic liberation, but also as an era of street crime and a near-collapse of state control. In Gangs of Russia, Svetlana Stephenson, a British scholar with Russian roots, provides a gripping and deeply researched account of the evolution of Russian street gangs, tracing their origins back to the 1970s and beyond.
Through first-hand interviews with gang members, Stephenson examines their social structures, codes of conduct, and the profound impact they had on both society and the state. The book compellingly outlines how these groups not only controlled neighborhoods but also forged paths from the streets to business and, eventually, into government itself. A must-read for anyone interested in modern Russian history.