oprichnina ("опричнина") is a state policy used by russian tsar ivan the terrible between 1565 and 1572. the origin of its name is old russian "опричь", what means 'apart', 'except', or 'special'. oprichnina included secret police, mass repressions, public executions, and confiscation (taking somebody's property) of land from the boyars. it was created because ivan didn't trust the boyars (russian feudal aristocrats) anymore.