The leader of a Russian ultranationalist group has been arrested in St. Petersburg for allegedly attempting to stir ethnic clashes.
St. Petersburg security officials said on October 16 that the chairman of the Russian Party movement, Nikolai Bondarik, was arrested after two young men came forward, claiming to have been attacked by non-Russians a day earlier. That was the day that thousands of Muslims celebrated the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday.
Under questioning, the two men accused Bondarik of having offered them money to claim that they had been assaulted.
Officials said the men confessed that their knife and gunshot wounds had been inflicted by Bondarik's associates.
Investigators say Bondarik wanted to use the men to incite mass actions against migrant workers from Central Asia and the Caucasus.
St. Petersburg security officials said on October 16 that the chairman of the Russian Party movement, Nikolai Bondarik, was arrested after two young men came forward, claiming to have been attacked by non-Russians a day earlier. That was the day that thousands of Muslims celebrated the Islamic Eid al-Adha holiday.
Under questioning, the two men accused Bondarik of having offered them money to claim that they had been assaulted.
Officials said the men confessed that their knife and gunshot wounds had been inflicted by Bondarik's associates.
Investigators say Bondarik wanted to use the men to incite mass actions against migrant workers from Central Asia and the Caucasus.