August 7, 2009 - 18:05 AMT
Armenian criminal world not to avoid "global war"
Armenian writer Sergey Galoyan, author of 26 books, has finished his recent book about Vyacheslav Kirillovich Ivankov, a Russian "underworld lord" (nickname: Yaponchik). It took the author 10 years to write the book, as he said today during a meeting with journalist.

Touching upon the recent assault committed against Ivankov on July 28, the writer characterized it as an attempt to intimidate Yaponchik. "Heaven forbid if Ivankov died. If that happens, criminals all over the world will start a 'global war', because the sphere of their activity covers the whole planet, from America to Japan, and Armenia will not manage to avoid the war."

There are 592 «underworld lords all over the world, Galoyan said, stressing the seriousness of their role in "governing states and actually the entire planet."

On July 28, Vyacheskav Ivankov (Yaponchik), one of the best-known figures of the criminal world, was assaulted in Moscow. The «underworld lord» was hospitalized in grave condition.

In early 1990's, Yaponchik was considered a mafia leader in US, FBI reports. However, accused of extorting money from Chara bank, he was later sentenced to a long-term imprisonment.