01 August 2009, 06:00
Authorities hide mass fight between Chechens and Russians in Astrakhan Region
In the Astrakhan Region, in the territory of a closed territorial formation Znamensk, a mass fight burst out between Chechens and Russians with participation of 150 persons. The scuffle was accompanied by shooting and victims. The incident took place back on July 19; however, the information was concealed by local authorities and law enforcement bodies.
The scuffle took place in the outskirt of the Kapustin Yar village, near the main Russian missile testing range. A local guy of 28 was lost and three persons received heavy wounds and were hospitalized, as reported by the "NEWSru.com".
The incident has become known only from messages of local residents placed in their websites on the Internet. According to the "New Region" Agency, the curfew regime was introduced in the town after the incident.
Local residents and participants of the fight accuse natives from the Caucasus in provoking the conflict. According to their story, young Caucasian natives "for a long time had been terrorizing the vicinities." The local militia names the incident "a bandit showdown" and categorically rejects the version of interethnic conflict.
