One of the most famous killers of the 90's, the leader of the Sayanogorsk OPG Vladimir Tatarenkov was extradited to Moscow from Athens, Greece on July, 21. He has served 10 years in Greece and now must appear in the Russian courts on charges of organizing a number of assassinations.

57-year-old Vladimir Tatarenkov (nicknamed Tatarin) has been in an international wanted list since 1994. He is accused of committing a series of contract killings. The accusations were brought to him under the two Penal Codes - Criminal Code of Russia and old Soviet Criminal Code: "banditry" (Part 1, Art. 209 of the Criminal Code of Russia), the organization of an attempted murder (Art. 17, Art. 15, Art. 103) and organization of premeditated murder under aggravating circumstances, by prior agreement with a group of persons (Article 17, paragraphs "d, z, n" Art. 102 of the Criminal Code of the RSFSR).

Meanwhile Tatarenkov has been in prison since August 1999. The police of Greek town of Komotini detained him with the assistance of Interpol in his own hotel «King Maron». In the room there were seized five firearms, a large quantity of ammunition, six hand grenades and counterfeit Russian passports on his name and his mistress Galina Chelak, as well as Greek passports. On February 9, 2001 Tatarenkov was sentenced to 14 years for illegal possession of weapons and forging documents.

Tatarenkov is known for the fact that in the early 2000's he gave the scandalous testimony against the former chairman of the board of KrAZ Anatoly Bykov, for which he was temporarily deported to Russia. In Greek law, deportation is possible only after serving a sentence for crimes committed in Greece.

Vladimir Tatarenkov attracted the attention of the law enforcement agencies in 1991. A native of Kursk, he served another conviction in Khakassia. Two of his "separate raids" were related to theft and looting. In 1987 he received the last sentence for robbery. After his release Tatarenkov remained in Abakan, and then moved to Sayanogorsk. The township-forming enterprise in there is a large aluminum plant.

Tatarenkov contacted the local criminals rather quickly and made a career. Then he created "a brigade"engaged in a vodka business and racketeering, which could openly oppose "polozhentsev" (criminal authorities, administrating a certain area), derived from the thieves in the law. Tatar was called a remarkable man, very cruel, intelligent, possessing excellent analytical abilities, he acted in the spirit of "wicked" 90's. He and his assistants arrived at the "huddles" armed to the teeth.

Tatarin solved many conflicts only by weapons. At the time, representatives of the investigation spoke of the involvement of his group into 15 contract murders of criminal authorities and entrepreneurs. Interestingly, Tatarenkov not only led his fighters, but could take up arms himself. When choosing an opportune moment to attack, he could spent hours (or days) monitoring. In part, his rather plain appearance helped him.

Curiously, in the criminal world Tatarenkov was highly estimated as a professional killer. He was often placed higher than the legendary Alexander Solonik (Alexander Makedonsky).

According to the operatives engaged in Tatarenkov's group, in those years he met with Anatoly Bykov. Sayanogorsk Aluminum Plant was in the area of his interest, while Bykov tried to take control of the same plant in Krasnoyarsk. The events of that time were called the "Great Aluminum War». For example, Only in June 1994, 10 people were killed in Krasnoyarsk, Abakan, Minusinsk and Sayanogorsk. As a rule, all assassinations were unsolved. However Tatarenkov, unlike Bykov, failed in the venture with the plant.

In 1994 mass arrests of member of Tatarin's gang began. Police began arresting them after the murder of two local authorities in Krasnoyarsk. Later, some members of the Tatarenkov gang argued that Anatoly Bykov stayed behind that shot. However, no direct evidence was found.

In 1994, a new director came to Sayanogorsk Aluminum Plant - Oleg Deripaska. Witnesses link it up from the beginning of the defeat of the Tatarinkov's group. In the end, approximately 60 members of the group were detained, while others plunged into hiding. In 1997, nine members of the group were convicted.

Tatarin himself also managed to escape, he was declared in a wanted list. Tatarin regularly appeared in Sayanogorsk, in Krasnoyarsk and other cities. He had forged documents, even the identity of Captain of the FSB.

He hid in the various regions, while continuing to carry out "orders" to eliminate people. But he attempted to take control of Sayanogorsk Aluminium Plant by putting there his CEO. In spring 1995 an attempt was made to Commercial Director the Sayansky Aluminum Plant, Valery Tokarev.

Tatarenkov disappeared in Greece, where in 1999 he was was detained by local police. he struggled on arrest.

June 3, 2000 Tatarenkov was temporarily extradited at the request of the Russian side. First he was detained for three months later the sentence was extended til December 3, 2000. Officially, he was a witness in the case of two Krasnoyarskmen, accused of killing 5he businessman. However, they did not interrogate him on this occasion actually, they tried to get his testimony on Anatoly Bykov.

Being in a Greek jail, Tatarenkov claimed he would tell the whole truth about the former partner and about the removal of competitors. Curiously, Tatarenkov began writing poetry out of boredom in prison. His "Collected Works" consists of four notebooks.

However, once in Russia, he suddenly refused to testify, explaining that he had learned from the newspapers about the crimes of Bykov, but something had thought out by himself.

But later, in February 2001, when returning to Greece, he again changed the testimony. He called from prison in Athens to Krasnoyarsk broadcaster TVK-6 channel, and said he was ready to give "exposing evidence" against Bykov. When asked why he had changed his mind, Tatar explained that people of Bykov promised him to secure his release from the Greek prison, but later "let him down".

Given such a fickle temper of Tatarin, it is difficult to say whether he would cooperate with the investigation after being extradited.