Russian Mafia

Lore & Background

The Russian thread begins when a refugee, Anton Kaledin, offers the Peaky Blinders the code 'Constantine' for a money-exchange meeting with Tatiana; Tommy tells her the code is wrong, and Arthur kills the impostor. Grand Duke Leon pays Tommy for the killing with a sapphire, which Tatiana later says is cursed. Behind the deal, Father John Hughes of the Economic League oversees a scheme to set Britain against the Soviet Union by planting evidence that incriminates the Soviet communists. Believing the Russians will betray him, Tommy tunnels into their vault, and Alfie Solomons is hired to appraise the jewels, which ruins their plan to pay Tommy in fakes.

Reader's Guide

Tatiana, played by Gaite Jansen, has an affair with Tommy; she strikes a deal with him to steal her family's jewels so that she can escape to another country and join her lover. Grand Duke Leon secretly plans to kill Tommy once he has served his purpose. The Russians appear only in the third series.

Did You Know?

• The Russian faction includes White Russian aristocrats like Princess Tatiana Petrovna (Gaite Jansen) and Grand Duke Leon Romanov (Jan Bijvoet), who appear in Season 3.
• The Russian characters in Season 3 are involved in a plot with Father John Hughes (Paddy Considine), an anti-communist priest working with Section D.
• Grand Duchess Izabella Petrovna (Dina Korzun) is Tatiana's aunt.
• Ruben Oliver (Alexander Siddig), a portrait artist, is enlisted by Polly to paint her portrait in Season 3.