Faustin Mafiya

The Faustin Bratva, later known as the Rascalov Bratva, is a gang featured throughtout the Grand Theft Auto IV story arc, as well as making a short appearance in The Lost and Damned.

Background
The Faustin Bratva was founded by Mikhail Faustin with Dimitri Rascalov during the early to mid 1990's, shortly after the end of the Cold War. At the time, when both men were still in Russia, it was a more two-men organization, with both Faustin and Dimitri sold hash for tourists in the Red Square, as well as being convinced for murder.

Eventually, prior to 1998, Faustin, now a family man, and Dimitri, still single, moved to Liberty City, the United States. They both based in Hove Beach, where they formed a Russian gang, soon to be known the Faustin Bratva. In Hove Beach another Russian Mafia was located, the Petrovic Bratva, led by the strongest Russian mobster in the city, Kenny Petrovic. The two gangs managed to co-exist, although the relationship between the two worsened as Faustin began to suffer from drug addiction and paranoia.

Between the late 1990's and 2008, several men joined to Faustin's synidicate, including Vladimir Glebov, Ivan Bytchkov, Sergei and Andrei. Using his money, Faustin opened the Perestroika club and Comrades bar as fronts for the Mafia's members, the latter was directly managed by Vlad. Faustin also got shares from Joseph Kaplan's sex shop, The Peep Hole.

Early connections with Niko Bellic
In 2008 Vlad begins employing Niko Bellic as his hired gun as Niko's cousin, Roman, owes money for Vlad. Niko is forced to do several missions for the loan sharks, including collecting protection money from a Chinese shop and a laundromat, stealing a Blista Compact, and eliminating Ivan for insulting Faustin. However, upon discovering that Vlad slept with Roman's girlfriend, Niko chases down and kills Vlad.

Vlad's death eventually discovered by Dimitri and Faustin, who send Andrei to capture the Bellic cousins. Faustin executes Andrei in rage for bringing the two to his house, while giving Niko a choice to work with the Bratva, to which Niko agrees so Roman will live. At this point Dimitri sees Niko's usefulness to help him become the new leader of the Bratva.

Fall of Mikhail Faustin
After several missions, Faustin orders Niko to assassinate Lenny Petrovic, Kenny's son, much to Dimitri's dismay, as such act will cause an all-out war between the two factions. Dimitri fails to stop Faustin while Niko successfully kills the boy, causing Petrovic to call death on Faustin. Meanwhile, Faustin ignores Petrovic's threats and sends Niko to do one final attack against the Russian kingpin; destroying one of Petrovic's fronts in Bohan.

Seeing this as an opportunity to take over the organization, Dimitri makes a deal with Petrovic as a way to spare both him and Niko; Faustin has to be assassinated by Lenny's own murderer - Niko himself. Niko storms into Faustin's club, eliminating his guards and executing Faustin on the club's roof, not before Faustin warns Niko of Dimitri's eventual betrayal.

Rise of Dimitri Rascalov
True to Faustin's words, Dimitri betrays Niko during a meeting at the docks, selling him over to Niko's old boss Ray Bulgarin (who Dimitri made an alliance with). Their combine forces fail to kill Niko, but manage to force him and Roman out of Broker, leaving them in Bohan. Dimitri then re-creates Faustin's old gang in his own image - founding the Rascalov Bratva.

Dimitri then begins to seek more power and money, as well as killing Niko once and for all. He orders one of his men to kidnap Roman as to lure Niko and kill him, but this attempt fails as Niko guns down every single member in the ambush.

He also blackmails Deputy Mayor Bryce Dawkins for money, but Bryce's lover is discovered to be Bernie Crane - an old friend of Niko. Niko once again stops Dimitri's men from revealing Bryce's homosexuality. A Rascalov Bratva unit also attacks Niko and Bernie when they have a boat trip, but it is eliminated.

A while later, when Niko works with the Pegorino crime family, Niko's associate Phil Bell decides to steal drugs from the Rascalov Bratva in the docks of Charge Island. Dimitri later sends his men to protect Ancelotti crime family's Underboss, Charles Matteo, from a Pegorino attack, but Niko manages to kill the Underboss.

Jon Gravelli, dying Don of the Gambetti crime family, is not pleased with Dimitri's rise of power, and sends Niko to destroy cocaine-loaded vans owned by Rascalov. This is also the first noteable act of a family associated with The Commission against Dimitri and his Bratva. Before this hit, the family blocked Bobby Jeffersons convoy, leading Niko to murder a lot of members of the family, in order to save Mr. Jefferson so he can talk at the Civic Citadel.

Ending
Jimmy Pegorino, the Don of the Pegorinos, desires in one desperate act, to join forces with the Rascalov Bratva and strikes a heroin with Dimitri. Despite knowing Niko's history with the man, Pegorino begs him to do it. Niko is then given the choice to either strike a deal with Rascalov, or execute him at the Platypus - where the heroin is located. Either choice, the Rascalov Bratva is finished.

Deal=Niko decides to work again with Dimitri, and phil Bell joins him as a support gun. Dimitri decides to kill the men which they had to deal with, leaving Niko and Phil to fight against their associates. Eventually they manages to secure the money, and Niko is given his share.

Dimitri, however, wants Niko dead and sends an assassin to kill Niko during Roman's wedding, but during a struggle between Niko and the killer, Roman is shot and killed. This leads Niko to attack the Rascalov-Pegorino members at Alderney Casino, where Dimitri kills Pegorino as he doesn't want to share moeny with anyone.

Niko chases Dimitri down to Happiness Island, where the two have one last stand during which Niko kills every single member that remained in Dimitri's gang, before finishing Dimitri off next to the Happiness Statue. Revenge= Niko attacks the Platypus and fights his way through Dimitri's men. He eventually finds Dimitri, defeats him and a shootout, and executes him. The deal between the Pegorinos and Rascalov is finished with Dimitri and the Bratva's demise.

Known Members

 * Mikhail Faustin - founder/Pakhan (boss) †
 * Dimitri Rascalov - 2nd-in-command/Sovietnik (advisor), later becomes Pakhan †
 * Vladimir Glebov - captain/loan shark †
 * Ivan Bytchkov - soldier
 * Sergei - soldier
 * Andrei - enforcer †
 * Unnamed enforcer †
 * Unnamed bald member - bodyguard/hitman
 * Andriy Maximov - enforcer

Appearences

 * GTA IV
 * It's Your Call
 * Easy Fare
 * Uncle Vlad
 * Crime and Punishment
 * Final Destination
 * No Love Lost
 * The Master and the Molotov (Wiped Out; as the 'Faustin Bratva')
 * Russian Revolution (First appearance as the 'Rascalov Bratva')
 * Hostile Negotiation
 * Union Drive
 * Buoys Ahoy
 * Catch the Wave
 * Trespass
 * Liquidize the Assets
 * A Dish Served Cold (Revenge)
 * Mr. and Mrs. Bellic (Deal)
 * A Revenger's Tragedy (Deal)


 * TLAD
 * Roman's Holiday