Brigade

Alexander Nikolaevich Belov (Sasha Bely) was a sergeant in the KGB border troops, serving on the border with Afghanistan. After demobilization, he returned to Moscow and, due to circumstances, became a crime boss. He was the leader of the Brigade, an enemy of Kaverin, and Olga's husband.

Valery Konstantinovich Filatov (Phil) is Sasha Bely's bodyguard, a member of the Brigade, a friend of Sasha Bely, Cosmos, and Pchela, an enemy of Kaverin, and a master of sports in boxing. He also appears in films as a stuntman.

Viktor Pavlovich Pchyolkin (Pchela) is a cunning and enterprising member of the Brigade, a friend of Kosmos, Sasha Bely, and Phil, and an enemy of Kaverin. He is in love with Sasha's wife, Olga.

Kosmos Yuryevich Kholmogorov (Kos) is a flighty rich kid, the son of an astrophysics professor, founder of the Brigade, friend of Sasha Bely, Phil, and Pchela, and enemy of Kaverin. He's also a drug addict.

Slang and jargon of the era. Conversations are full of 90s vocabulary: "roof," "showdown," "showdown," "showdown," "bros," "shoot out." This isn't just decoration—the jargon immediately delineates the circle of "insiders" and separates them from the rest of the world.

Short, clipped lines. Dialogues are often built on short phrases and pauses: tension is conveyed not by verbosity, but by what remains unsaid.

The contrast between pathos and everyday life. The characters can discuss "big things" and then, in the same scene, discuss mundane trivia—this makes them feel alive and doesn't turn them into cartoonish bandits.

Repeating formulas and "vows." Ritual phrases act as group bonds: they remind the characters of what binds them together and emphasize how much they cherish this union.

"Boy Code" and vows of allegiance. The most recognizable tone is when the characters talk about friendship and responsibility for each other. Hence the iconic phrases like, "We've been together since first grade, and we're jointly responsible for everything we do." These conversations are heavily ritualized: a word is like a signature on a contract, and breaking it means betraying not only people but also "concepts."

Business "showdowns" and shootouts. Negotiations between factions sound like tough bargaining: a minimum of politeness, a maximum of specifics. What matters here is status, reputation, and threats, which are not made outright but rather hinted at. The tone is extremely collected, without unnecessary emotion.

Everyday squabbles within the gang. The guys often interact with each other with a rough edge of irony, teasing each other, cracking jokes that border on the offensive. This relieves tension and demonstrates that, despite their criminal careers, they are still just ordinary friends from the same neighborhood.

The conflict is "might versus law." Dialogues with the police (especially with Kaverin) are verbal duels where two worlds collide. There's a lot of hidden aggression, ambiguity, and innuendo: no one says anything directly, but everyone understands.

Lyrical and difficult conversations. Moments when one of the characters ponders the price of success or experiences personal tragedy are quieter and simpler. They contain fewer "concepts," more pain and simple human words.

In the early 1990s, amid sweeping changes in the country, the guys struggle to survive in the new reality. At first, these are small-scale operations, such as racketeering at Moscow markets. Gradually, circumstances draw them deeper into the criminal underworld. Eventually, their "Brigada" becomes one of the most influential groups in the capital: it controls various business sectors, establishes contacts with politicians, and establishes its own "shadow government" in the city.
But the story isn't just about the rise. The series also highlights the darker side: constant conflicts with other gangs (such as Bek's organized crime group), and a confrontation with former police officer Vladimir Kaverin, who becomes the main antagonist. Discord also arises within the Brigade itself, and trust between friends is severely tested. And in the finale, tragedy befalls many: even someone they considered one of their own—Kaverin's bodyguard, Max—betrays them.

Sasha Bely is often the one setting the tone: he speaks calmly but firmly, laying down the rules and making decisions. His speech is the voice of a leader who strives to keep his emotions under control.

Cosmos is emotional, impulsive, and loves loud statements and theatrical gestures. His remarks are full of bravado, but underneath it lies a sincere devotion to his friends.

Pchela is a pragmatist: he talks about money, risks, and profits more often than others. His conversations are the "business part" of the team: a calculating, down-to-earth view of the situation.

Phil is level-headed and reliable. He often smooths over rough patches, steers conversations toward a calmer tone, and tries to keep his friends from making rash decisions.

Elizaveta Andreevna Surikova is Olya’s grandmother; she loves her granddaughter very much and cannot stand her bandit husband.

Alexander Alexandrovich Tuchkov (San Sanych) - SOBR commander, police colonel, "White Arrow" militant.

A thief in law offers Belov a lucrative business of sending weapons to Chechnya, which is in a pre-war state, and when he is refused, he organizes an assassination attempt on Sasha himself, his wife, and his son.

Artur Veniaminovich Lapshin, an entrepreneur and owner of the large trading company Kurs-Invest, was forced to cede the company to Bely.

The crime boss killed Farhad and thereby signed his own death warrant.

Sasha and Olya's son. He was taken abroad as a child.

Sasha's mother died of a heart attack.

Yuri Rostislavovich Kholmogorov, the father of Cosmos, a corresponding member of the USSR Academy of Sciences and a professor of astrophysics, managed to get his son and his friends off the hook for the murder, thanks to his connections.

Farhad Gafurovich Dzhuraev (Farik) – Tajik businessman, leader of Tajik aluminum suppliers. Belov's army friend and business colleague, killed by Bek and his gang.

Olga Evgenievna Surikova – Sasha Bely's fiancée, later wife, and Vanya's mother. A violinist.

Sergei Dmitrievich Mukhin (Fly) - bandit, authority, enemy of Belov, cousin of Kaverin, killed by Cosmos.

Belov and his family's bodyguard, also an agent of Kaverin, a former warrant officer of the GRU special forces, and a traitor.

Vladimir Evgenievich Kaverin is Mukha's cousin, a former senior police lieutenant and an enemy of the Brigade. He lost his arm in Chechnya. He ran for parliament but lost to Sasha Bely.