‘Wolf’ Holding of Security Structures
`Wolf' Holding of Security Structures, a.k.a.
Defense Holding Structure “Wolf”; a.k.a.
Holding Security Structure Wolf; a.k.a.
Kholding Okhrannykh Struktur Volk; and a.k.a.
Wolf Holding Company.

The Night Wolves (Nochnye Volki) organisation – Vladimir Putin’s Hells Angels – is a network of organisations gathering hundreds of people ready to fight in any conditions and capable of using any type of weapon, trained in the most brutal systems of martial arts. The tentacles of the structure seem to have been built for years, and extend into plenty of countries. This is more than just a structure based on a motorbike club and love of the two wheels.

The Night Wolves are, along with the International Alliance of Assault Forces, part of ‘Wolf’ Holding of Security Structures. Its core, however, is a security agency of the same name. Its head is Gennady A. Nikulov: a military man, remaining in the structures of power since the Soviet times. The company offers detective services, armed and unarmed protection of buildings and premises, property in transit (also in own armored vehicles), and installation of monitoring and tracking systems.

The structure of the holding proves that the Assault Alliance and Night Wolves are autonomous structures, reporting directly to Nikulov. Besides them, there are several other departments, from ‘special preparation’ and protection to human resources and finance. Importantly, the department of ‘protection’ has its branches, besides Moscow, Tver, and Volgograd, in the so-called ‘Novorossiya’ (the occupied parts of Ukraine – editor’s note). This is significant, as the security agency organises among others, Self-defence of Sevastopol, whose line-up includes Alexander Zaldostanov, the leader of Night Wolves.

On December 24, 2002, to coordinate the activities of public associations, in order to increase the effectiveness of their work on the implementation and protection of civil rights and freedoms, to enhance the social status of veterans and servicemen of landing forces, marines, special forces and special-risk units, disabled local conflicts, technogenic catastrophes and members of their families, assistance to state, public, non-profit organizations and others, legal and natural persons in the patriotic, spiritual-moral vennogo education, strengthen the landing and patriotic traditions in the society was established All-Russian Union of public associations of veterans of airborne troops "Union of Russian Paratroopers'. The Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation "Union of Russian Airborne Troops" was registered as a legal entity on February 6, 2003.

The main goals of the Union can be described as follows: consolidation of the activities of interregional organizations and regional offices throughout Russia; patriotic and moral upbringing of the younger generation through the creation and functioning of a network of military-patriotic and sporting clubs of an airborne orientation; organization and conduct of military-patriotic work in the units and units of the Airborne Forces and special forces; assistance to veterans, family members of dead and wounded servicemen.

Russia also uses a range of proxies to further its interests. Proxies are often groups that have broad sympathy with Russia’s objectives. One of the Kremlin’s typical proxies is the Night Wolves, a biker club and ultranationalist, anti-American gang, whose leader is a personal friend of President Putin. The exact role of the Night Wolves is uncertain, although it can be used to intimidate populations and may facilitate a range of hybrid activities behind the scenes.

In light of the continued conflict in eastern Ukraine and Russia’s continued disregard for its obligations under the Minsk agreements, which fuels the continued conflict, the U.S. Department of the Treasury on 19 December 2014 imposed sanctions pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13660 on 24 Ukrainian and Russian-backed separatists and the militias or entities they lead or support.

While the Night Wolves Motorcycle Club's (NWMC) roots are similar to Western counterparts such as the Hells Angels MC and Bandidos MC, they have evolved into a proxy of the Russian state who unite combat-ready diasporas. The NWMC nongovernmental organization provides soft propaganda while they operate alongside the Russian military and imbed military tactics into foreign Russian populations through their corporate entity Wolf Holding of Security Structures.

The Night Wolves biker group had its members serve in the Crimean self-defense forces as early as February 2014, which supported local Crimeans against the Government of Ukraine. In March 2014, the Night Wolves conducted intimidation and criminal activities within Ukraine and also abducted and subsequently assaulted a Ukrainian Border Guard official. This biker group also participated in the storming of the gas distribution station in Strikolkove and the storming of the Ukrainian Naval Forces Headquarters in Sevastopol.

In early-April 2014, the Night Wolves helped smuggle a former senior Ukrainian official out of Ukraine and also helped obtain Russian passports for another larger group of senior Ukrainian officials that they helped get into Russia. The Night Wolves have been closely connected to the Russian special services, have helped to recruit separatist fighters for Donetsk and Luhansk, Ukraine, and were deployed to the cities of Luhansk and Kharkiv. The Night Wolves group was designated because it was an entity that is responsible for or complicit in, or has engaged in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

Aleksandr Zaldostanov, also known as “the Surgeon,” was the leader of the Night Wolves. Zaldostanov chaired the overall Night Wolves organization, and some of his responsibilities included the punishing of chapter groups and members for disloyalty to the Night Wolves organization. During the late-March 2014 storming of the Ukrainian Naval Forces Headquarters in Sevastopol, he coordinated the confiscation of Ukrainian weapons with the Russian forces. Zaldostanov was designated for being a leader of a group, the Night Wolves, that is engaging in, directly or indirectly, actions or policies that threaten the peace, security, stability, sovereignty, or territorial integrity of Ukraine.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) on 20 June 2017 reinforced existing sanctions on Russia by designating or identifying a range of individuals and entities involved in the ongoing conflict under four Executive orders (E.O.s) related to Russia and Ukraine. This action was designed to counter attempts to circumvent U.S. sanctions and will maintain alignment of U.S. measures with those of our international partners.

Wolf Holding of Security Structures is an organization owned by the previously-designated Night Wolves motorcycle club. The company provides martial arts and tactical military courses to foreign military, law enforcement, and Russian-speaking compatriots from European and Asian States. Wolf Holding of Security Structures was designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the Night Wolves. Gennadii Anatolievich Nikulov is the President of Wolf Holding of Security Structures. Gennadii Nikulov was designated for acting for or on behalf of Wolf Holding of Security Structures.

Denis Yuryevich Ryauzov is the Combat Trainer Leader for Wolf Holding of Security Structures. Denis Ryauzov was designated for having materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, and for acting or purporting to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Wolf Holding of Security Structures. Bike Center, a business located in Moscow, is being designated for being owned or controlled by the previously-designated leader of the Night Wolves, Aleksandr Zaldostanov.