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Viewing cable 09STPETERSBURG104, PARATROOPERS DAY COINCIDES WITH APPARENTLY RACIALLY

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09STPETERSBURG104 2009-08-13 15:13 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Consulate St Petersburg
R 131513Z AUG 09
FM AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2822
INFO AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 
AMCONSUL ST PETERSBURG 
AMCONSUL VLADIVOSTOK 
AMCONSUL YEKATERINBURG 
EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
UNCLAS ST PETERSBURG 000104 
 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: RS PHUM
SUBJECT: PARATROOPERS DAY COINCIDES WITH APPARENTLY RACIALLY 
MOTIVATED ATTACKS 
 
1. (SBU) Summary: Three attacks against ethnic non-Russians took 
place in the aftermath of the August 2 Paratroopers Appreciation 
Day in St. Petersburg and its environs, resulting in the death 
of one man.  Law enforcement officials have been reluctant to 
characterize the attacks as hate crimes, although they appeared 
to have all the traditional hallmarks of xenophobic violence 
against foreigners. 
 
2. (SBU) Violent outbursts and hooliganism traditionally have 
accompanied the August 2 celebration of Paratroopers' Day, which 
is also known as Blue Berets' Day.  Historically, St. Petersburg 
has prepared for the event with a greatly increased police 
presence on the streets and by warning residents to exercise 
caution when traveling around the city.  The police have 
generally attempted to avoid interfering with the celebration, 
and have traditionally been forgiving of rowdy behavior by the 
paratroopers. 
 
3. (SBU) On August 2, according to press accounts, several 
paratroopers tried to attack an Azeri minibus driver and his 
friend.  According to the press, the paratroopers did not like 
the fact that the men were not speaking Russian between 
themselves.  There were no serious injuries in the altercation, 
which police characterized as simple hooliganism. 
 
4. (SBU) In the early morning hours of August 3, two Azeri men 
were hospitalized with serious gunshot wounds.  According to a 
media interview with the victims, a group of paratroopers drove 
to their apartment building in the northern section of St. 
Petersburg and opened fire on it.  Most of the members of the 25 
Azeri families living in the building were able to take shelter 
from the gunfire, but two were wounded.  Police arrived at the 
scene after the attackers had dispersed, and did not detain any 
suspects.  According to the police, the Azeri residents had 
provoked the paratroopers in some unspecified fashion, and so 
the attack could not be classified as a hate crime. 
 
5. (SBU) That same night, an Uzbek (or Tajik, according to some 
press accounts) man from the town of Sertolovo, in Leningrad 
Oblast, died from knife injuries sustained in an altercation 
with paratroopers.  The victim claimed shortly before he died of 
his wounds that he and other non-Russian vendors in the 
Sertolovo market had been attacked by paratroopers on the town's 
market square.  He was able to walk to the local police station 
where he reported the incident, and died shortly thereafter. 
 
6. (SBU) Comment: The events of August 2 seem to confirm the 
claims of local human rights watchers who believe that the level 
of ethnic tension around St. Petersburg remains high.  Although 
there were few reported incidents of violence in the city during 
the celebration of Paratroopers' Day, the commission of three 
potentially ethnically motivated crimes in its aftermath is 
cause for concern.  As the economic crisis continues, we may see 
an uptick in similar incidents sparked by local resentment of 
ethnic minorities, especially guest workers who are often 
perceived as taking jobs from ethnic Russians. 
 
HUBLER