Police investigators interrogated individuals associated with a notable far-right nationalist organization following a fatal fire that erupted during their raid on a St. Petersburg apartment over the weekend, as reported by the local news outlet Fontanka on Tuesday, citing anonymous sources familiar with the situation.
The group, known as Russkaya Obshchina (“Russian Community”), asserted that its members had gone to the apartment in response to allegations of drug activity and witnessed one of the residents igniting the fire.
The Investigative Committee of Russia, which handles significant criminal cases, has initiated a probe into negligent homicide after a man and woman lost their lives in the fire, while another man remains in critical condition at a hospital. As of now, no suspects have been identified.
Fontanka reported that the victims were a 37-year-old man from Armenia and a 24-year-old woman from Sochi. The survivor is a 46-year-old man, the son of the apartment’s owner, who disclosed to investigators that he had previously undergone treatment for substance abuse.
“Neighbors reported that he was shouting desperately. The members of [Russkaya Obshchina] just beat him, locked him in the bathroom, and then started using a Taser and tear gas on him,” the victim’s mother stated to Fontanka.
Reports indicate that investigators have spoken to five members of Russkaya Obshchina and released them as witnesses. Authorities are also contemplating charges related to unlawful entry, according to the news outlet.
Russkaya Obshchina has been characterized in media reports as a vigilante group that monitors for undocumented migrants and operates “in conjunction with the Russian state.” The group enjoys public support from Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigative Committee, as per Fontanka.
