In spite of a rich and beautiful culture, Chechens are probably the most mercilessly discriminated group in the former Soviet world to this day. Even the Russian Rroma people, who suffer the effects of merciless bigotry, at least have positive stereotypes about their music and colorful culture. Chechens on the other hand are considered to the scum of the Earth and are treated accordingly. The marginally justified stereotype of the Chechens and car bombs is so widespread, that there’s even a drink named after it.
The real Sergei “Silvester” Timofeyev was blown to smithereens by a car bomb while driving his Mercedes Benz. This not surprising, considering this mob chief’s enmity towards Chechen gangs and his bad habit not following thief-in-law rules within the Russian underworld itself. Whether the bombing was the result of competing Russian gang retaliation, betrayal within his own ranks, or a Chechen mob attack, may never be known.
I decided to play with the Chechen car bomber stereotype to create the deliciously tantalizing though completely fictitious scenario of how Silvester died on this page. The fact that a shocking percentage of Chechen bombers are young women, helped me create a perfect weapon. I imagine that a successful mobster like Silvester would have been very careful about checking his precious Benz for explosives. So, instead of putting the bombs in his car, I strapped them to someone that he loved and trusted on a very deep level.
Unbeknownst to him, his lovely companion was raped by one of his thugs before entering a life of crime. Being unclean and unfit for marriage, this poor Muslim girl ran away from home, fearful of how her family would react to her being dishonored. Desperate and alone, she joined a vicious Chechen gang that preyed upon her spiritual heartbreak and desire for retribution. Deluded by promises of redemption, paradise and freedom for her beloved Chechen compatriots, the young woman passed for an ethnic Russian and charmed her would-be victim over a period of several years. When the time was right, she hid many high-powered explosives underneath her fashionable coat. As Silvester drove his ladyfriend to a nice restaurant, she quietly detonated the bombs using a fake and bulky cell phone. In her mind, she would no longer bring shame to her family. She hoped Allah would cleanse her sins in a final misguided act fueled by a twisted vision of what jihad should be. With a flash of light, charred bones, twisted metal and Silvester’s broken teeth were all that remained of the blast.
Credits
Color: Mandarr
Half-Tone and Everything Else: Vas Littlecrow Wojtanowicz.
For more on Mikhail, check out his tag.
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Transcript: English
Frame 1
Sylvester hugging a beautiful woman with brown hair and lavender shirt in front of a brick wall. He flashes a toothy grin and seems incredibly happy. The woman's smile is more ambiguous. Her body language betrays some small measure of detachment.
Tsar as Narrator No need to worry about Sylvester, however. I have an operative; nice girl. He doesn't know that she's a Chechen gang member or good with explosives. She's working on gaining his trust. Once she does, there's a car bomb with his name on it.
Frame 2
Photocopied profile card printed on gray paper. It contains text and a headshot of a balding man wearing dark sunglases and a suit.
Tsar as Narrator Mikhail Mikhailev - Moskoskovye Brotherhood Mob Boss: Camello's best friend. Sold him out. He's your boss and I know you hate him. Make it look like a suicide