Russian college stabbing: Attacker raises Holocaust slogans and draws Nazi symbol with victims’ blood | World News

A 15-year-old boy, reportedly affiliated with a banned neo-Nazi group, allegedly carried out a knife attack on a university dormitory in Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic on Saturday, injuring at least six people, including four Indian students.

According to Times of India, the attacker allegedly chanted nationalist slogans referencing the Holocaust and used the victims’ blood to draw a Nazi symbol (Swastika).

According to initial reports, it is stated that the knife-wielding young man entered the dormitory of the State Medical University in Ufa and attacked the students living there. Eyewitnesses reported that there was great panic and chaos in the hostel. According to eyewitness accounts, Ren TV reported that there was “blood everywhere”.

According to the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the attacker stabbed several students in the dormitory and also stabbed two police officers while trying to resist arrest.

Baza channel claimed that the young attacker was linked to extremist ideology. It was stated that the defendants belonged to the banned neo-Nazi organization National Socialism / White Power (NS/WP) Crew (or Sparrows Crew), which was designated as a terrorist organization by the Russian Supreme Court in 2021.

According to the statement made by the Russian Federal Ministry of Health, one of the injured is in critical condition and the other three have moderate injuries. The attacker was taken to a local children’s hospital in serious condition.

Authorities in Ufa, the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan, located approximately 1,200 kilometers east of Moscow, launched a high-level investigation into the incident.

The suspect also tried to cause bodily harm to himself, Russian interior ministry spokeswoman Major General Irina Volk reported on the RTVI.com web portal.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy described the incident as an “unfortunate incident” and confirmed that “many people, including four Indian students, were injured.” It was also reported that the Indian Embassy is in contact with Russian officials and officials of the Indian Consulate in Kazan are traveling to Ufa to provide aid and other assistance to Indian students.

The cause and circumstances of the attack remain unclear. Indian officials have stressed that the safety of students abroad is their main concern. The incident sent a shockwave through the Indian community in Russia, especially students who form a significant part of the diaspora in cities such as Kazan, Ufa and Moscow.

MEA assured that all necessary measures have been taken to support the affected students and coordinate with Russian authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and appealed for calm.