Brothers' Circle

{{Short description|International criminal group involved in drug trafficking}}

The Brothers' Circle or Bratski Krug ({{langx|ru|Братский круг}}) is a term used to refer to Russian organized crime, commonly the Russian mafia. It is a loose translation of the Russian term "Bratva" (Russian: Братва), which can also be loosely translated as “brotherhood” or “band of brothers". The term "bratva" received its wide dissemination in the 1990s after the collapse of the Soviet Union, and was used as an informal address among the members of many gangs which spread throughout post-soviet republics. Today the term is used as an informal way of addressing close friends. This form of address and lack of proper interpretation resulted in its name being used in connection to Russian organized crime.

With support from Spanish prosecutor José "Pepe" Grinda González and Alexander Litvinenko, Spanish, German, Austrian, and Swiss authorities from June 2005 until 2007 conducted Operation Wasp ({{langx|ru|спецоперация «Оса»}}) ({{langx|es|Operación Avispa}}) and, later, Operation Troika ({{langx|ru|Операция «Тройка»}}) from 2008 to 2009 which led to the arrest by 2010 of more than 60 individuals including Zakhar Kalashov.{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Luke |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/16/litvinenko-investigating-abramovich-money-laundering-claims-court-told |title=Litvinenko investigating Abramovich money-laundering claims, court told: Police told Russian mafia investigation was likely to see Chelsea FC owner arrested in Spain for money laundering and buying land illegally |work=The Guardian |date=March 16, 2015 |access-date=September 9, 2024}}{{cite news |last=de Waal |first=Thomas |author-link=Thomas de Waal |url=http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/mafiosi-the-caucasus-4615 |title=Mafiosi in the Caucasus |work=The National Interest |date=December 22, 2010 |access-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101224105523/http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/mafiosi-the-caucasus-4615 |archive-date=December 24, 2010}}{{cite news |last=Harding |first=Luke |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/01/wikileaks-cable-spain-russian-mafia |title=WikiLeaks cables: Russian government 'using mafia for its dirty work': Spanish prosecutor alleges links between Kremlin and organised crime gangs have created a 'virtual mafia state' |work=The Guardian |date=December 1, 2010 |access-date=September 9, 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.diariosur.es/20080614/malaga/precedente-operacion-avispa-20080614.html |title=El precedente: la 'operación Avispa' |trans-title=The beginning: 'Operation Wasp' |language=es |work=Diario Sur (www.diariosur.es) |date=June 14, 2008 |access-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240909222842/https://www.diariosur.es/20080614/malaga/precedente-operacion-avispa-20080614.html |archive-date=September 9, 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/06/20/sociedad/1119257209.html |title=Detenidas 28 personas en la costa mediterránea, 22 de ellas 'capos' de las mafias de la antigua URSS |trans-title= |language=es |work=El Mundo |date=June 20, 2005 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240909223533/https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/06/20/sociedad/1119257209.html |archive-date=September 9, 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/06/25/sociedad/1119694099.html |title=Detenidas tres personas dentro de la operación 'Avispa' contra la criminalidad internacional |trans-title=Three people arrested as part of the 'Avispa' operation against international crime |language=es |work=El Mundo |date=June 25, 2005 |access-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240909223304/https://www.elmundo.es/elmundo/2005/06/25/sociedad/1119694099.html |archive-date=September 9, 2024}}{{cite news |last=Tremlett |first=Giles |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/15/spain-russian-mafia-suspects-arrested |title=Russian mafia suspects held across Europe: Spanish police confirm operation involving Germans, Swiss and Austrians |work=The Guardian |date=March 15, 2010 |access-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240909224241/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/mar/15/spain-russian-mafia-suspects-arrested |archive-date=September 9, 2024}}{{cite news |url=https://elpais.com/elpais/2008/06/13/actualidad/1213345017_850215.html |title=Cae en España una de las mayores mafias rusas del mundo: Al menos 20 arrestados en Málaga, Granada, Valencia, Alicante, Madrid y Baleares.- Detenido en Mallorca el jefe del clan.- La red ordenaba asesinatos, traficaba con armas y blanqueaba dinero |trans-title= |language=es |work=El País |date=June 13, 2008 |access-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240909225555/https://elpais.com/elpais/2008/06/13/actualidad/1213345017_850215.html |archive-date=September 9, 2024}}

U.S. Department of the Treasury officials suggest that it operates in the Middle East, Africa, Latin America, and the United States,[http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/07-11-2011/119544-russian_mafia-0/ "Russian mafia most powerful in the world?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120711235319/http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/07-11-2011/119544-russian_mafia-0/ |date=2012-07-11 }}, 7 November 2011, pravda.ru and is controlled by Vladislav Leontyev, a Russian man from Nizhny Novgorod.{{cite web |url=https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/tg1430 |title=Treasury Imposes Sanctions On Key Members Of The Yakuza And Brothers' Circle Criminal Organizations |work=US Department of the Treasury |date=February 23, 2012 |access-date=September 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240909211800/https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/tg1430 |archive-date=September 9, 2024}}[http://www.reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/en/ccwatch/cc-watch-indepth/1393-what-is-the-brothers-circle "What is the Brothers’ Circle?"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131104120104/https://reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/en/ccwatch/cc-watch-indepth/1393-what-is-the-brothers-circle |date=2013-11-04 }}, 12 March 2012, Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project

In 2011 the group was defined by the Obama administration of the United States in the "Strategy on Combating Transnational Organized Crime",{{cite web |url=http://www.reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/ccwatch/cc-watch-indepth/1015-us-attempts-to-combat-dark-side-of-globalization |title=U.S. Attempts to Combat "Dark Side of Globalization" |last1=Hopkins |first1=Valerie |date=26 July 2011 |website=Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project |publisher=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111218221959/http://www.reportingproject.net/occrp/index.php/ccwatch/cc-watch-indepth/1015-us-attempts-to-combat-dark-side-of-globalization|archive-date=18 December 2011 |access-date= |quote=}} as "A multiethnic criminal group composed of leaders and senior members of several criminal organizations largely based in countries of Europe. Many Brothers' Circle's members share a common ideology based on the thief in law tradition, which seeks to spread their brand of criminal influence around the world."{{cite web|url=https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/25/remarks-white-house-release-strategy-combat-transnational-organized-crim|via=National Archives|work=whitehouse.gov|title=Remarks at White House Release of Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime|date=25 July 2011|access-date=3 March 2021|archive-date=6 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306060952/https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2011/07/25/remarks-white-house-release-strategy-combat-transnational-organized-crim|url-status=live}}