Russia To Expel Families Of Uzbek Boys Who Put Out Eternal Flame In St. Petersburg

Three Uzbek boys who extinguished the Eternal Flame at a monument in St. Petersburg are to be expelled together with their families, Russia's Interior Ministry has said. The decision came after video footage was posted by the Fontanka website showing one boy throwing armfuls of snow at the Eternal Flame, putting it out, while two others cheer him on. Police identified the three boys -- two brothers, aged 10 and 14, and a 12-year-old boy -- as citizens of "one of the neighboring countries" who are in Russia without proper documentation. Fontanka and Baza reported that the boys' families are from Uzbekistan. To read the original story by RFE/RL's Russian Service, click here.