Vory v zakone (thieves professing the code) occupied places of great respect and authority in the former Soviet Union underworld. They were keepers of the thieves' code which guided their behavior and that of their followers. Rarely committing crime, they were the organizers of criminal activities and ultimate arbiters of thieves' justice, settling disputes among groups and fixing sanctions against code violators. These figures proved sufficiently flexible to survive the many changes Soviet society underwent while maintaining the core of their code. In post-Soviet uncertainty, they are redefining the rules by which they live in order to ensure their survival in an increasingly competitive atmosphere. Harnessing vast economic and political influence, they will play a major role in the future development of Russia. Internationally, top vory v zakone are becoming more ambitious, establishing extensive criminal networks among the United States, Europe and the former Soviet Union. Notes, appendixes