silovik

/ˈsiːləvɪk/

Etymology

From Russian силови́к (silovík), from си́ла (síla, “force”) + adjective suffix -ов (-ov, “-able/-ible”) + agent suffix -ик (-ik, “-ist, -er”), adjective: силово́й (silovój, “of or related to force”).

Why this word is great

SILOVIK — [Noun] A member of the Russian military, law enforcement, or intelligence services, or a politician with a background in such institutions. From Russian силови́к (silovík), from си́ла (síla, "force") + adjective suffix -ов (-ov, "-able/-ible") + agent suffix -ик (-ik, "-ist, -er"). Unlike "apparatchik" (which evokes the gray inertia of bureaucracy) or "oligarch" (which conjures gilded backroom deals), a silovik is the iron fist beneath the velvet glove of the state. He is the shadow in the corridor of a ministry building, the crisp uniform at a boardroom table, the cold precision of a dossier opened at midnight—a reminder that the true architecture of power is built not on laws, but on the men who enforce them.

noun

A member of the Russian military, law enforcement, or intelligence services (the KGB or FSB), or a politician with a background in such services.“[T]he so-called siloviki have installed themselves deep inside the country’s boss class – something that did not happen to anything like the same degree during the Cold War.”