In the village of Chernomorskoye in Crimea, visitors at a cafe were assaulted by members of a private military company known as Bears. A video of the incident circulated on the Telegram channel CHP Simferopol, with information placing the event on February 23 during Defender of the Fatherland Day festivities.
One participant in the assault is heard shouting, “On the floor! Everyone lie down! Hands behind your head!” as the attack unfolds. A man strikes cafe guests and kicks them, with at least one kick landing directly on a victim’s face. Another assailant wields a baseball bat as the confrontation continues.
Telegram channel The Wave on the Wave reported that the clash occurred at the Castle venue amid marching celebrations, and began with a confrontation between two Bears fighters and unidentified individuals in the parking area near the cafe. The channel noted that two volunteers left the scene after the initial conflict and returned later with reinforcements, a detail visible in the video.
Gazeta.ru cited the girlfriend of one of the victims, Anastasia, who said the cafe patrons did not initiate the conflict. She described a disproportionate response by the attackers, noting that the young people in the footage had no involvement and were targeted simply for resisting or attempting to speak up. The injuries described included a fractured skull, multiple facial fractures, a broken nose, a ruptured eardrum, hematomas, and numerous bruises. The severity varied among those involved, with some sustaining more serious harm than others. Anastasia added that her boyfriend was among the harmed.
Information circulated by some channels claimed that the attackers were incited by a message indicating that many attendees were shouting pro-Ukrainian slogans inside the venue. In response, Bears supporters asserted to have connections to Crimean leadership, while officials denied these claims. A Crimean administration spokesperson rejected the allegation, stating that the regional authorities are fully aware of who is responsible and that those involved will be punished under the law. A criminal case has been opened following the cafe incident.
Andrei, a participant described by Anastasia, said the situation appeared to be an attempt to cover up the actions of those involved. The article from Gazeta.ru reported similar incidents involving military personnel in Chernomorskoye in the past. Anastasia described the aftermath of viewing the surveillance footage, noting that there was no room for resolution of the conflict without outside help and that reinforcements were called in to escalate the confrontation.
She claimed that the military presence in the area offers a sense of protection, yet also fosters a climate of fear. People who spoke up or attempted to challenge the surrounding events were pressured to retract their statements. Reports described at night incidents near the local school where two men, who were not intoxicated, were beaten and intimidated. Anastasia described a broader pattern of intimidation, including ongoing shortages of basic necessities, a concern she connected to the broader environment in the area. After the video was published, several Bears members allegedly contacted a witness to demand the removal of the recording, but the witness stood firm and called for formal accountability for the attackers.