Russia: The Kremlin Strikes at the Tambov Group

The head of one of Russia's most powerful suspected criminal enterprises, the Tambov group, was arrested in late August. The group is known for its powerful government connections and control over key pieces of St. Petersburg's economy. The last time a power vacuum opened up among organizations like this one in St. Petersburg, it led to a decade of very bloody fighting. This time, however, Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved to control most of these groups by institutionalizing them, which allows him to begin the daunting task of cracking down where he sees fit.