Mikhail Ryabko

Mikhail Ryabko is one of the foremost authorities on Systema - the Russian martial art rooted in the combat system of the Russian Special Forces. A Colonel in the Russian military and close-protection specialist, Ryabko began training in Systema as a child under a personal instructor appointed by the Soviet government and has spent decades refining and teaching the art. Together with Vladimir Vasiliev - who brought Systema to North America and founded Systema HQ in Toronto in 1993 - Ryabko is responsible for the international spread of Systema as a martial art accessible to civilian practitioners worldwide.