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Nationalists Attack Metro Passengers in St. Petersburg, Yelling ‘This Car Is for Russians’

Alexander Roshchin / TASS

Three nationalists attacked passengers in a St. Petersburg metro car on Friday, reportedly yelling: “this car is for Russians.”

Two of the attackers were minors and have been detained and charged. The third, 21-year-old Nikita Gerasimov, has fled to Estonia, the St. Petersburg-based news outlet Fontanka.ru reported.

The three nationalists on Friday attacked a man of “non-Slavic appearance,” pushing him out onto the train platform. When other passengers tried to intervene, the assailants attacked them with knives and nunchuks, injuring two, according to Fontanka.

Following the attack, the assailants reportedly told the police that they had been attacked and requested an ambulance.

En route to the hospital, the attackers escaped the ambulance, though the two minors were later detained.

The detainees, charged with “hooliganism,” are currently in police custody.

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