Clashes between radically-minded youths and Caucasians continue in Moscow as the second disturbance in a week December 15 resulted in the arrests of several hundreds. No fatalities were reported, as police have stepped up patrols especially in public transport.
Ethnic tensions have sparked in Russia's capital since December 11, when football fans staged a rally at the city’s Manege Square demanding punishment for those responsible for the death of FC Spartak fan Yegor Sviridov who was killed in a December 6 scuffle with a group of natives of the North Caucasus. Mass disturbances followed resulting in several injuries.
Political analyst Alexander Iskandaryan, Director of Caucasus Institute in Yerevan believes certain political forces in Russia are inciting ethnic-based fighting. Iskandaryan says that xenophobia has grown from narrow circles and is being spread rapidly. "This must be called not a ‘caucasianophobia’, but rather a ‘blackophobia’, (meaning non Slovanic nations) because not only Caucasians are subjected to violence [there],” Iskandaryan says. He believes that as a result of these events, some Armenians will leave Russia for other countries to look for work and some will return home. Still, however, thousands of Armenians turn to Russia for seasonal, and often permanent, jobs. According to official data annually around 60 000 Armenians leave for seasonal jobs in Russia. According to different estimations the number of Armenians living in Russia reaches 3 million.