: The majority of the population; non-professional criminals who follow the rules to survive but do not hold authority.
: During and after WWII, a violent internal conflict (the "Suki" or "Bitch Wars") erupted between traditional blatnoy and those who had cooperated with the state (often by serving in the Red Army) in exchange for leniency. The Prison Caste System On Blatnoy
In recent years, researchers and activists have noted that prison administrations sometimes exploit these "archaic" caste systems to maintain control, using blatnoy leaders to suppress political dissidents and other specific groups of prisoners. If you'd like to dive deeper, : The majority of the population; non-professional criminals
: This code mandates absolute loyalty to the criminal world, the support of "brothers" in prison, and the maintenance of a secret jargon ( Fenya ). If you'd like to dive deeper, : This