Sochi, located on the eastern shore of the Black Sea, is a palm-tree-speckled sliver of land in the southwestern corner of the Russian Federation. Part of the Caucasian Riviera, Sochi is one of the few places in Russia with a subtropical climate, with the scenic Caucasus Mountains rising to the east and pebble-sand beaches to the west surrounding a vibrant city with a bustling nightlife. With more villas, palm trees, and yachts than any other location in Russia, Sochi is Russia’s largest and most popular resort city.
Anatoly Bogdanov strolled down the sidewalk with his hands in his pockets, enjoying the warm weather, a wonderful change from the frigid temperatures in his former home of Gadzhiyevo. He had spent his entire life in a town inside the Arctic Circle, and looked forward to living where he could venture outside wearing slacks and an open-collared shirt for most of the year. With ten million U.S. dollars in the bank and another ten million due after Kazan’s missile launch—over one billion rubles—Bogdanov also looked forward to a life of luxury.
His co-conspirator in the effort, Mikhail Korenev, who had provided the nuclear warhead arming code, hadn’t revealed where he planned to move, but Bogdanov had gleaned enough to determine it was somewhere in South America. Although spending the rest of his life in a tropical foreign country had its appeal, the language barrier was a challenge he’d rather not deal with. Plus, he figured he’d blend in more easily in Sochi than in a foreign country. Anyone looking for him in South America would just have to ask, “Are there any rich Russians living nearby?” In Sochi, rich Russians were half of the population.
Bogdanov was traveling under a second alias the American had provided, with the funding deposited into an account using the first alias, so there was no direct connection between him and the account, in case the owner was discovered by authorities. He was also keeping a low profile, paying only in cash and venturing from his hotel only when required: to a nearby restaurant, or to accompany a real estate agent who was showing him the available properties worthy of a man with Bogdanov’s resources.
He was running low on money tonight, so he stopped by an ATM to withdraw a few thousand rubles. Armed with enough cash for the next few days, and looking forward to a superb dinner, Bogdanov checked in with the maître d’ of a nearby five-star restaurant.