Ulyanovsk: six football fans suspected of distributing anti-Caucasian leaflets

Six residents of Ulyanovsk are suspected of inciting hatred based on ethnic grounds against players and fans of the "Anji" FC (Makhachkala). According to the prosecutor's office, fans of the "Volga" FC prepared and distributed leaflets with extremist content.

On July 17, at the stadium "Trud" (Labour) in Ulyanovsk, the "Anji" FC defeated the "Volga" FC in the 1/16th of the final at the Russia's Football Cup. According to investigators, prior to the football match, a group of local fans used the social network VKontakte to agree on holding an action aimed at provocation of aggression against football players from the FC competitor and its fans.

Vasily Zima, Senior Assistant Prosecutor of the Ulyanovsk Region, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that Maxim Potemkin, a technical college student, sent to student Artyom Efremov 'graphic objects of extremist content' through the social network VKontakte.

"Artyom Efremov made about 100 leaflets, which text demonstrated disregard and imaginary superiority over fans, members of the 'Anji' FC, and persons of Caucasian nationality in general," the Senior Assistant Prosecutor said.

The leaflets, produced on pressure-sensitive paper, depicted the profile of General Ermolov (Russian General of the Napoleonic Wars, who participated in the military seizure of the Caucasus by Russia, - note of the "Caucasian Knot"), the inscription reading: "For Russian Caucasus! General Ermolov", and the images of men with the slogan reading: "Take axe! Meet visitors from mountains!". The leaflets were posted at houses of several streets.

According to the Senior Assistant Prosecutor, students, suspected of involvement in manufacture and distribution of the leaflets, have been charged under Part 1 of Article 282 (actions aimed at inciting hatred or enmity and at humiliation of dignity of a group of persons on grounds of nationality, language, origin, committed publicly) of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. If they are found guilty, they will face imprisonment of up to 2 years.

According to Vasily Zima, the criminal investigation has been completed, and the prosecutor's office directed it to the court for trial on the merits.

Ramadan Gaziev, the head of the fan movement named "Dikaya Diviziya" (Wild Division), supporting the "Anji" FC, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent that he had learned about the incident only recently.

He has added that the fans of the Makhachkala "Anji" FC are often being suppressed by other football fans. "Sometimes it happens. In general, the incidents occur in large cities. However, they never extend to global-scale ones," Ramazan Gaziev has explained.

The head of the "Dikaya Diviziya" did not want to comment on the initiated criminal case. "I'm not a lawyer and I find it hard to judge. I believe that the fans of the "Anji" FC will hardly respond to the incident. The action was aimed to draw attention to the persons, who had committed it, and they achieved their goal," Ramazan Gaziev said.

No comments from the fans of the "Volga" FC are available. The FC has explained that they do not know about the existence of their fan club, whose members could clarify the situation. A staff member of the "Volga" FC refused to comment on the situation, mentioning the absence of the top managers.