How does the Russian Mafia work?
The major difference between the Russian Mafia and the Italian Mafia, from what I can tell by reading Russian-language newspapers, is that the Italian Mafia is organized in a very hierarchical way whereas the Russian Mafia is very fluid and amorphous. This difference makes the Russian Mafia more effective because the criminal organization exists only for a short period of time that is necessary for implementing a particular task. It disappears and re-appears depending on the situation. There are no capos or “made men” or any of that stuff. This makes it very difficult for the law to track them and destroy them. In contrast, the Italian Mafia has a very rigid structure: the organization will continue to exist no matter what happens to particular individuals who are involved in it. This makes it easier for the law enforcement authorities to discover, penetrate and destroy Italian criminal “families.” Another difference has something to do with the history of both mafias. The Italian Mafi
