In the Rostov region, a group of youths carried out a brutal assault on three individuals, witnessed by many. Yet the case was reportedly not opened by authorities, according to 161.ru.
On the evening of February 11, three 22-year-old Bataysk residents were attacked by a group of teenagers aged 14 and 16, joined later by a 19-year-old companion. This older associate issued threats and boasted that he would “smash their faces.” Additional friends of the intruders joined the confrontation, provoking the youths by harshly targeting their relatives. When one victim responded rudely, he was struck in the face, sustaining multiple broken teeth. He lost consciousness and collapsed, only to be struck again as he attempted to rise. An ally of the victim stepped in to defend him but was also beaten by the crowd. The oldest attacker breached a glass bottle and threatened to kill the remaining victim.
The fight caught the attention of the sister of one of the victims, who watched from a window and alerted the authorities. The intruders fled into the street, leaving the victims bloodied. Eyewitnesses observed the scene, with one person sharing photographs of the assaults with family members, filing a report, and contacting the police. That same evening, local law enforcement invited the two perpetrators to speak with their parents. However, reports indicate that on May 29, police declined to file a criminal case for a third time, despite a decision from the city prosecutor’s office in favor of the victims. The matter was then forwarded to the district attorney’s office.
Over the ensuing months, one of the victims endured treatment for an open head injury, scalp bruising, a broken nose, a fractured tooth, and two accompanying friends who also required care. Medical assessments later described the injuries as minor in impact, though they noted the victims had suffered concussions. Under the relevant legal framework, those under a certain age are not prosecutable, which complicated the pursuit of charges.
In a separate development, the beaten teen’s father initiated his own inquiry and learned that as many as 15 youths from different parts of the city participated, some of whom practiced martial arts. Parents described some participants as feeling part of an organized group, while others suggested that some youths occasionally received pocket money from school-age earners. Meanwhile, authorities recorded statements from several suspects who claimed they had been provoked by the victims. Another witness described the victims as instigators who sparked the conflict. Police also indicated that the full details of the incident remained unclear due to limited camera coverage and the late hour, which hindered a precise reconstruction of events.
According to one victim, a young rival continued to threaten him weeks after the incident, making developments dependent on statements given to internal affairs authorities.
In July, in the Tula region, reports emerged that friends of a schoolgirl dragged a man who had assaulted her into the forest, where he was severely beaten and eventually killed. This separate case underscored a troubling pattern of youth violence and retaliation across regions.
Attribution: Local reporting and law enforcement statements compiled for public record. The narrative reflects multiple eyewitness accounts and official responses, with ongoing inquiries and legal considerations noted by regional authorities.