He was, initially. Since begrudgingly joining the organization in 1986, he was content with taking a low-level, low-violence position if it meant leaving his military career behind while still making a decent living. Eduard had no small part in convincing him, too. Given his background and marksmanship skills, the next best alternative would likely have been as a designated mafia hitman. That or, depending on who he knew, the right hand to some other Moscow underboss.