For the last several months, the gaze of the post-Soviet (and not only) organized criminal groups is kept intently fixed on the recently emerged “reformer” of the underworld, Shakro Kalashov, and his bold ideas. After his release from a Spanish prison, Shakro went into seclusion at his cottage in Moscow, only to emerge two months later, denouncing the mistakes recently made by the clan of Aslan “Grandpa Hassan” Usoyan, who was considered to be a “godfather” of post-Soviet organized crime.

Kalashov, who proclaimed himself to be the new #1 in the criminal underworld, has now openly announced his plans to “restore justice” to it. This announcement has sent ripples of worry and agitation not only through the post-Soviet organized crime networks, but also through many European ones as well. Kalashov’s release from prison was predicted by many to spark numerous bloody conflicts, since he would most likely want revenge for murder of “Grandpa Hassan” by Tariel Oniani, a fellow crime lord and his sworn rival, but it seems that events are taking a completely different course.

The first person to feel Kalashov’s “restoration of justice” will most likely be Badri Koghuashvili, a Kutaisian mobster who is currently locked up in prison. He is rumored to belong to a small number of criminals who have never crossed any of their peers. He also was the one who, following Tariel Oniani’s arrest, tried to gather up fellow mobsters and call “Grandpa Hassan” to account – but not without meeting with Kalashov before that.

The meeting of the two took place in the U.S. in 2010, when Kalashov was on parole. Koghuashvili managed to convince him that “Grandpa” has gone too far. Resentful of Usoyan’s clan for tearing his financial empire to shreds, Kalashov has decided to stop “Grandpa”.

However, “Grandpa” was not letting grass grow under his feet, and instead of meeting with fellow mobsters, Badri Koghuashvili ended up in a pre-trial detention cell. Usoyan spared no expense to see him transferred to Butyrka Prison, where he promised to make his life a living hell.

The living hell began when a rumor challenging Koghuashvili’s status and authority as thief-in-law swept the prison. Such a claim caused great upheaval in the criminal underworld, and despite it getting quickly attributed to Koghuashvili’s long-time rival Gela Kardava, it has caused him a lot of trouble, hounding him whenever he got transferred from one prison to another due to “Grandpa’s” whims. Three years of “touring” the detention facilities have made him something akin to a living legend among local criminals. He has six more years of imprisonment to serve, however. This is precisely the reason why within the framework of Kalashov’s “restoration of justice,” crime lords have gathered more than two million dollars to break him out.

As for aforeme¬n¬tioned Gela Kardava, he has so far avoided trouble, but as those in the know claim, he will inevitably be made the scapegoat of this entire affair and eventually done away with.

Participants of the so-called Istanbul Affair are also awaiting their share of “justice.” Last year, Giorgi “Takhi” Uglava and Rovshan Janiev, members of Tariel Oniani’s clan broke into a hotel suite in Istanbul where, according to their information, new members of “Grandpa Hassan’s” clan stayed. However, inside they discovered only two people – Grandpa Hassan’s associate Roland Gegechkori and his friend Paata Tvalmchrelidze. Since Paata’s allegiance was unclear, he was considered untouchable, and so the gangsters vented their frustration on Roland, beating him nearly to death and fleeing the scene.

To avenge Roland’s dishonor, 34 mobsters gathered and after a meeting, stripped Giorgi and Rovshan of their thief-in-law status. Very soon Giorgi was apprehended by the police, and his place was promptly taken by another thief-in-law named Kakha Parpalia, who openly claimed responsibility for the incident in the hotel and asked Kalashov for a meeting with those who got beaten to settle the matter. At the moment, both parties are demanding justice.

In the meantime, Kalashov held a large meeting of crime lords, which ended in four Belarusian mobsters being stripped of their “thief-in-law” titles. Aside from “restoring justice,” Kalashov has also taken keen interest in Ukraine, where Georgian thieves-in-law are essentially fighting the Ukrainian government for the country’s riches. The attempt of Georgian organized crime circles to establish a foothold in Ukraine has already become a hot issue for local media. The fact that Georgian crime lords are supplying terrorists in Donetsk and Luhansk with arms is an open secret. Even though Kalashov has delayed discussing the expansion directly, it is only a matter of time until he is done with dispensing “justice” and turns his gaze towards Ukraine in full.