Embassy of the Russian Federation, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Hetq Online 2006

Until recently, Nessuna at the now defunct di cavoli e di re was posting some excellent and very poignant coverage of an increase in attacks on people from the South Caucasus and Central Asia in Russia. Now, according to PanArmenian.net, the simmering tension between Armenians in particular and Russian nationalists appears ready to explode. Indeed, an escalation in violence has already occurred.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 1 person is killed and several are in reanimation resulting from a mass fight in Volsk town. Reports on the occurrence are very contradictory. According to some, two young persons quarreled with Armenian Diaspora representatives at Galaktika local club. Over 10 took part in a fight. By the time the police arrived, there were three wounded, one of them later died.

There are no official reports. It is known that many re-settlers from southern republics live in Volsk. The Prosecutor’s Office confirmed there was a fight, but nothing similar to the events in Kondopog – the conflict was an ordinary one. The situation in the town is normal now. The police works in an intense regime.

Meanwhile, law-enforcement bodies do not confirm media reports on disorders in Volsk. “The situation in the town is normal,” stated person on operative duty of the Department of Internal affairs of Volsk, Russian media report.

Indeed, PanArmenian.net already reports that other incidents are starting to occur. Again, the violence is directed by Russian neo-Nazis towards Armenians. Amazing to think that if something far less like this was directed against Armenians in Georgia, nationalists here would be screaming for armed insurrection.

However, it’s instead happening in Russia — Armenia’s traditional “ally” and so far there’s not a whimper from the Government here. Instead, a recent rally outside the Russian Embassy in Yerevan was attended by only a few dozen people. Apathy once again rules unless the powers that be can direct anger against Turkey or Georgia to deflect discontent at home.

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Kondopoga events repeated in another Russian region – Saratov, in Volsk town. Militia groups patrol the city around the clock. By an order of the local administration all Caucasians are removed from markets to avoid provocation. There are casualties.

The conflict began on the night of Sunday at Galaktika local club, when Nazis (who served in Chechnya) attacked Armenian Diaspora representatives. The story continued Monday. A group of local youth rushed into the College of Bridge and Hydro Construction. Fights also took place in the town last night.

Nazis started catching Armenian Diaspora representatives in the town and beating them heavily. Naturally, by Thursday, Nazis began to enjoy and their actions spread on representatives of other Caucasian Diasporas. There are no official comments, as information on ethnic cleansing is thoroughly concealed, reports Gruzia-Online.

It’s a pity that Nessuna deleted her blog recently because covering issues like this was close to her heart. Now, all those posts she made are gone and nothing stands for the record in what sounds like a very serious problem indeed. Still, she did write something for me on this blog, and other local bloggers such as Zarchka at Life Around Me also touched upon the issue.