The Komarov Bratva: Russia's Dominant Criminal Empire
The Komarov Bratva is Russia's largest and most powerful red mafia organization. It exerts influence not only across Russia but also throughout the world, operating vast criminal enterprises including weapons and drug smuggling, human trafficking, poaching, assassination contracts, and illegal mercenary operations in partnership with Korean gangs, Chinese Triads, Japanese Yakuza, Italian Mafia, Latin American drug cartels, and Southeast Asian and Middle Eastern rebel groups.
As an organization with deep historical roots, it has steadily expanded its power since the Soviet era in the 1950s and maintains close ties with Soviet police, military, intelligence agencies, and political elites. These connections have grown so intricate that the government can no longer easily dismantle it.
By around 2019, Yozef Komarov had recruited Spetsnaz Zaslon operatives abandoned by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service from Kazakhstan. He obtained concrete evidence that the Russian government had ordered these operatives to carry out various inhumane black operations. Leveraging this information, he blackmailed the Russian government, further amplifying the Komarov Bratva's influence over the Russian political establishment.
Although the organization's military strength was never insignificant, as of 2027 the Spetsnaz operatives Yozef recruited have trained the members with exceptional rigor, elevating their combat capabilities to unprecedented levels. They now stand as the de facto apex of Russia's underworld, and even the notorious Middle Eastern rebel groups hesitate to provoke a clash with the Komarov Bratva.
In Korea, the Komarov Bratva engages in various criminal ventures such as seafood smuggling, real estate fraud, human trafficking, and the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and animal skins poached from Russia and the Middle East. They maintain a business partnership with Gangryonghoe by supplying weapons, purchasing drugs from them, and occasionally dispatching members as mercenaries.
The Komarov Family forms the core of the organization:
Vigo Komarov, the former second-in-command and current honorary chairman, is an 82-year-old man standing 179 cm tall and weighing 78 kg with O blood type. After retiring from the organization about 27 years ago, he acquired U.S. citizenship and relocated to America. He harbors a profound sense of guilt toward his eldest daughter, Yelena Komarova, who emigrated to the United States. Now that his own health is failing and his remaining time is limited, he misses her more than ever. He also holds special affection for his granddaughter Alina Kim, his first grandchild. When Alina was six years old, he traveled to the U.S. with his son Lev, Denis, and a small contingent of bodyguards to meet her secretly. Since then, he has maintained contact through Denis and Lilia, purchasing birthday gifts and sending letters for her milestones.
Boris Komarov, the current second-in-command and third boss, is the eldest son of Vigo and was born to his first wife. He possesses immense authority as the organization's leader but remains deeply wary of his full brother Yozef, the second-in-command. After Yozef recruited the SVR-abandoned Spetsnaz operatives, Boris grew even more cautious and has been secretly expanding his own forces overseas.
Yozef Komarov, the second-in-command and son of Vigo's first wife, is the organization's de facto co-leader alongside Boris despite his official rank. He harbors ambitions to surpass Boris and seize the position of next boss. Unlike his other siblings who fled Russia and acquired U.S. citizenship, Yozef views his half-sister Yelena Komarova as a traitor and harbors intense hatred toward her.
Oleg Komarov, the support specialist and third son of Vigo, is 50 years old, stands 182 cm tall, weighs 82 kg, and has O blood type. His specialty is information gathering, gambling, and lobbying.
Irina Komarova, the financial and accounting specialist and fourth daughter of Vigo, is 48 years old, stands 179 cm tall, weighs 68 kg, and has B blood type. Her specialty is information gathering, financial management, and money laundering.
Aleksandr Komarov, the fourth son of Vigo, is 46 years old, stands 184 cm tall, weighs 84 kg, and has A blood type. His specialty is information gathering, hacking, and gambling.
Natalia Komarova, the third daughter of Vigo, is 44 years old, stands 178 cm tall, weighs 66 kg, and has O blood type. Her specialty is precious metal appraisal, financial management, and lobbying.
Lev Komarov, the security specialist and fifth son of Vigo, is 42 years old, stands 189 cm tall, weighs 85 kg, and has O blood type. His specialty is systems, combat sambo, and knife fighting.
Denis Komarov, the hitman and youngest son of Vigo, is 39 years old, stands 190 cm tall, weighs 83 kg, and has O blood type. Although he was frail as a child, he trained under top operatives within the organization to strengthen himself. He now ranks among the organization's elite hitmen, showing no mercy to enemies yet displaying a gentle and kind nature toward comrades and family. He knows that Alina Kim is aware of his mafia affiliation, and though she initially feared him when meeting him with her grandfather Vigo, she has gradually opened her heart after witnessing his sincerity. While possessing top-tier combat ability, Denis harbors inner fear of his elder brothers Boris and Yozef due to his relatively timid and delicate personality for a hitman.
Lilia Komarova, Yozef Komarov's secretary and youngest daughter of Vigo, is 37 years old, stands 176 cm tall, weighs 68 kg, and has O blood type. Her specialty is marksmanship, information gathering, and lobbying. She maintains a professional role as Yozef's secretary but harbors a reluctance toward him.
The Khishniki, meaning "Predators," is Yozef Komarov's elite private army composed of six battalions drawn from the Spetsnaz Zaslon black-ops unit "Bella Tigro" he recruited in Kazakhstan. Originally, the unit was disbanded by the SVR after members committed civilian massacres during a mission in the Middle East around 2017. The survivors were rescued with Yozef's help in Kazakhstan and became a cornerstone of the Komarov Bratva's power.
Nikolai Bak, commander of the main battalion and former team leader of Bella Tigro, is Yozef's most trusted subordinate. He protects Yozef closely but executes assassination missions on command. He has eliminated high-ranking figures from major criminal organizations including American and Italian Mafia, Chinese Triads, Japanese Yakuza, Latin American cartels, Middle Eastern rebels, and even high-ranking police, military, and political officials who threaten the Komarov Bratva. He is 39 years old, stands 190 cm tall, weighs 100 kg, and has O blood type. His specialty is hand-to-hand combat, unarmed fighting, and assassination.
Igor Volkov, commander of the first battalion and former Bella Tigro operative, is 38 years old, stands 192 cm tall, weighs 105 kg, and has A blood type. His specialty is CQB, systems, and assassination.
Viktor Novikov, commander of the second battalion and former Bella Tigro operative, is 38 years old, stands 190 cm tall, weighs 102 kg, and has AB blood type. His specialty is CQB, systems, and combat sambo. He first appeared in episode 158 and entered Korea on Yozef Komarov's orders after Seo Taeyang's request. He was assigned to protect Seo Taeyang's illicit funds but repeatedly failed. He is now plotting to kill Ha Seongjun and claim the substantial reward from Taeyang.
Sergei Vasilov, commander of the third battalion and former Bella Tigro operative, is 37 years old, stands 191 cm tall, weighs 101 kg, and has A blood type. His specialty is CQB, systems, and marksmanship.
Mikhail Vasilov, commander of the fourth battalion and brother of Sergei, is 36 years old, stands 208 cm tall, weighs 157 kg, and has O blood type. Originally an MMA professional who joined the Komarov Bratva after leaving the rival Malchev Bratva, he is the only non-Bella Tigro commander among the Khishniki leaders. He was offered the command position by his close friend and former teammate Kirill Kulikov, who believed Mikhail would be a better fit than himself. His specialty is combat sambo, wrestling, and marksmanship.
Kirill Kulikov, deputy commander of the fourth battalion and former Bella Tigro operative, is 36 years old, stands 190 cm tall, weighs 98 kg, and has O blood type. His specialty is CQB, systems, and knife fighting. Due to a jaw injury sustained while rescuing Sergei, he wears a black metal mask over his lower face and communicates exclusively through sign language or phone memos. He was rescued by Yozef after being shot and suffering shrapnel wounds. His speech is permanently impaired, so he eats by opening the mask's cover to consume soup or blended fruits. Though he could have claimed the fourth battalion command, he deferred to Mikhail, his friend and superior in skill, and accepted the deputy role instead.
Andrei Romanov, commander of the fifth battalion and former Bella Tigro operative, is 36 years old, stands 189 cm tall, weighs 98 kg, and has A blood type. His specialty is CQB, systems, and sniping.
Among the other executives:
Ivan Belov, husband of Irina Komarova, is 50 years old, stands 190 cm tall, weighs 92 kg, and has AB blood type. His specialty is gambling, financial management, and marksmanship. He first appeared in episode 28 during a weapons transaction with Seo Taeyang and reappeared in episode 32. When Denis mentioned his imminent meeting with Alina Kim in New York, Ivan mocked her as "the bloodline of a woman who abandoned her family." Denis warned him that he was acting on the late Park Han's orders and to watch his tongue. Ivan quickly corrected himself, visibly intimidated.
Zardani Korokevich, Boris's most trusted subordinate and the organization's top-tier hitman, is 53 years old, stands 185 cm tall, weighs 85 kg, and has AB blood type. His specialty is hand-to-hand combat, unarmed fighting, and assassination. A legendary hitman with decades of experience across the world's underworld, he remains a formidable force even as his prime has passed. His students are actively operating in Europe, America, and Latin America, which is why Yozef has not yet moved against Boris despite recruiting and training the Spetsnaz operatives.
Maxim Makarov, Vigo's longtime secretary who continues to serve him even after his retirement, is 56 years old, stands 188 cm tall, weighs 82 kg, and has A blood type. His specialty is driving, lobbying, and assassination.