The Combat Terrorist Organization () was a short-lived Russian neo-Nazi gang active from 9 August 2003 to 2006. It was formed in Saint Petersburg by two members of the skinhead group, namely, Dmitry Borovikov and Alexey Voyevodin.
Compared to other Russian neo-Nazi groups, the CTO remained relatively secretive. The group also used confidential mobile phones to communicate. The CTO rarely met in the open and avoided talking about ideology or tactics near power sockets, preferring to write their words on paper. In contrast to other neo-fascist groups of the time, there were no skinheads among its members.
History On June 14, 2011, the trial of eight members of the group began, with member Pavel Rumyantsev tried separately.
On October 20, 2006, the St. Petersburg City Court tried of nine out of 17 men acquitted for murdering Vietnamese national Vu Anh Tuan in 2004.https://en.sggp.org.vn/viet-nam-requests-russia-to-ensure-safety-of-vietnamese-in-russia-post8694.html
On December 4, 2025, police in St. Petersburg arrested Sergei Netronin as the main suspect in the murder of North Korean national Kim Hyon Ik, who was killed on December 14, 2003.https://web.archive.org/web/20251212121110/https://www.nknews.org/2025/12/new-russian-suspect-arrested-in-2003-neo-nazi-murder-of-north-korean-man/
Ideology
The gang's main symbol was the swastika. By means of murder and terrorism, Dmitry Borovikov waged a campaign "to clear" St. Petersburg ("Nevograd") of non-white races such as Black, Armenoid, and Asians, who "fuck Russian women" and "by that profane race, give birth to bastards." His dream was allegedly to overthrow "the Jewish Russian Federation" and turn it into a monoethnic "Nordic Russia." The group sharply criticised Christianity while promoting neo-pagan ideology as an alternative. The group also introduced a propaganda that focused on the value of a healthy lifestyle and refusal of alcohol and drugs. Most members of the group were convinced hardline straight edgers. The group issued fanzines with titles such as Kill or To Be Killed, Straight Edge - Шторм Чистой Крови, Гнев Перуна, Smell of Hatred.
Weapons The main weapons used by the gang were knives, crossbows, and guns such as rifles (including Mosin rifles) and pump-action shotguns.
Voyevodin, one of the gang's leaders, inherited two apartments following the deaths of his mother and grandmother. He sold one of the apartments and used the proceeds to purchase a car, four Saiga carbines, and radio sets to listen to police radio.
Attacks Armenian citizens Makvela Elamiryana and Liana Tumanyan on August 9, 2003, at the Nikolskoye settlement. Nigerian citizen Omordion Lavrense on October 2, 2003, at Tankista Khrustitskogo Street. A citizen from Georgia at Bolshaya Monetnaya Street and a Pakistani citizen on Leo Tolstoy Street on November 11, 2003.
Murders
DatePlaceName and ageCitizenshipNotes 9 November 2003 Kollontay Street S. V. Bulantsov Stabbed to death 14 December 2003 18 Marat Street Kim Hyun-ik Killed with cold weapon and scraps of pipes. Group members stole more than 300,000 rubles from the victim 9 February 2004 Boytsova LaneHursheda Sultonova (8) Stabbed to death, it is not confirmed if she was killed by the gang, but there were lots of suspects, this is the only case of the list that remains an unconfirmed homicide. 7 June 2004 Zakhodskoye settlementRostislav Gofman (19) and Alexey Golovchenko (19) Killed with knives and an arbalest, a type of crossbow. 19 June 2004Victim's apartment Nikolai Girenko (63) Shot through a door 7 April 2006 Gorokhovaya StreetSamba Lampsar (28) Shot in the neck with a pump-action shotgun
Sentences No. Name Charge Sentence 1Dmitry Borovikov Murder, incitement to hatred, public calls for extremist activity, brigandage, banditry, robbery, terrorismKilled during his arrest 2Alexey Voyevodin Murder, brigandage, terrorism, incitement to hatred, banditry, public calls for extremist activity Life imprisonment 3Pavel Gusev MurderAcquitted 4Alexey Kostrachenkov Murder18 years 5Andrey Kostrachenkov Murder 8 years 6Andrey MalyuginMurder18 years 7Roman Orlov Murder11 years 6 months 8Artyom Prokhorenko Robbery, murder, incitement to hatred, public calls for extremist activityLife imprisonment 9Pavel Rumyantsev Murder, incitement to hatred Compulsory psychiatric treatment 10Denis Kharchev Murder7 years 2 months (the term is reduced)
See also Combat Organization of Russian Nationalists NS/WP Crew The Savior (paramilitary organization) National Socialist Society Primorsky Partisans
References