The attack on four Indian students at a university in Ufa, located in Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic, isn’t an isolated incident, according to local media reports. The incident happened at Bashkir State Medical University (BSMU) in Ufa.
According to Indian students who study at BSMU, this isn’t the first time that they have been targeted. Several months ago, a group of young men confiscated the students' passports, beat them, and extorted money, RIA Novosti quoted Indian students.
"This mostly happened to Indians," one of the publication's sources said.
The media reports also confirm the revival of the neo-Nazi movement in Russia over the recent years, though Russian officials claim there haven’t been any attacks on foreigners in student dormitories in Russia since the 2000s.
But last December, a similar attack occurred at a school in the Moscow region. A teenager with a knife killed a 10-year-old child and wounded several others. He also held neo-Nazi views.
According to Russian media, the Ufa attacker is a supporter of the neo-Nazi organisation NS/WP. During the attack, he drew a swastika on the wall using the blood of one of his victims. Students also reported that the teenager shouted nationalist slogans about the Holocaust.
He also vandalised the entire floor, set off firecrackers, and attempted to enter the rooms where students had barricaded themselves.
Head of the Russia’s Safe Internet League, Ekaterina Mizulina, said the attacker had drawn a swastika on the dorm wall, which was a very serious issue. “I've been wanting to raise it for a long time. Apparently, adults are unaware of this or are simply avoiding it. We have an incredible number of swastikas being drawn on desks and in restrooms in schools. Several times before I arrived, children in classrooms were forced to wash swastikas off their desks (there are videos, but I won't mention the school numbers). There are also numerous comments on TikTok. There are many situations where teenagers, jokingly (or not), make Nazi salutes in public,” Mizulina added.
