Continuation of the story: In Vladivostok, migrants beat teenagers in a shopping mall. Read more here.
The Investigative Committee of Primorsky Krai has opened a criminal case after a series of attacks in Vladivostok, in which citizens of Uzbekistan were among the victims. The case is based not only on victims’ statements but also on at least three videos published on social media clearly showing the assaults.
According to investigators, on the night of September 10, 2025, a group of 15-year-old teenagers and their accomplices, while intoxicated, carried out a series of attacks. They damaged a parked car, sprayed a gas canister into the interior, beat a truck driver, assaulted a man inside a 24-hour store on Khabarovskaya Street, and later attacked a taxi driver and his passenger. The teenagers are also accused of shouting loudly in the street and throwing stones at a passerby, openly disrupting public order.
The criminal case was opened under Article 213, Part 2 (“Hooliganism”) of the Russian Criminal Code.
One suspect has been detained, while two others remain at large. All of them were already known to the police, yet despite prior offenses, had avoided real punishment.
The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in Vladivostok confirmed that Uzbek citizens were among the victims. Consul Yusup Kabuljanov stated that contact was quickly established with the victims and legal assistance was provided. Official notes were sent to the Prosecutor’s Office of Primorsky Krai and to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s representative office in Vladivostok. The Uzbek government announced that the case is under special monitoring.
The video recordings sparked a strong reaction among people in Uzbekistan. Many openly argue that Russia is sliding deeper into xenophobia and violence — tendencies that are either encouraged or ignored by the authorities. Public opinion draws parallels with processes in 1930s Germany: a new generation is growing up in an atmosphere of hatred, while impunity only fuels further crimes.
Amid the public outrage, calls for vigilante justice began circulating online, with some users offering money for information about the attackers. Consul Kabuljanov warned that vigilantism itself is a crime punishable under Russian law. Yet the warning did little to ease anger — trust in Russian law enforcement remains virtually nonexistent.
For decades, Russia has relied on migrant labor from Central Asia, yet has failed to provide either protection or justice. For many in Uzbekistan, the Vladivostok incident is further proof that Russia’s system is not only incapable of stopping violence but also actively creates the conditions for such attacks.