Inside Russia’s Ufa knife attack: A teen suspect, a swastika graffiti and neo-Nazi links

Authorities in Ufa, located about 1,200 kilometres east of Moscow, have launched a high-level investigation into the incident.

• Knife attack at Ufa medical university injures 6, including 4 Indian students
• 15-year-old attacker linked to neo-Nazi group, now in custody
• Russian authorities investigating motive; one victim in serious condition

Did our AI summary help?

A knife attack inside a medical university dormitory in Ufa, the capital of Russia’s Bashkortostan Republic, left at least six people injured in the wee hours of Sunday, including four Indian students and two police officers. The attacker, identified as a 15-year-old boy, was overpowered and taken into custody after a violent confrontation with police.

What happened at the dormitory

According to Russia’s Interior Ministry, the teenager entered a dormitory of the State Medical University in Ufa, which houses foreign students, and began stabbing occupants inside the building. Eyewitnesses cited by Russian broadcaster Ren TV said there was “blood all around” the premises as panic spread among students.

The police quickly swung into action following the attack.

Interior Ministry spokesperson Major General Irina Volk said the accused resisted arrest, during which two police officers were stabbed. She added that the suspect also inflicted injuries on himself before being subdued.

As per the Russian Federal Health Ministry, four civilians injured in the attack are undergoing treatment, with one person in serious condition and three in moderate condition. The attacker, who is a minor, has been admitted to a local children’s hospital and is also reported to be in serious condition.

While Russian authorities have not officially confirmed a motive, local media and Telegram channels reported that the attacker might have links to a banned neo-Nazi organisation.

The Baza Telegram channel, which has links to Russian security circles, claimed the teenager was associated with the extremist group National Socialism/White Power (NS/WP) Crew, also known as Sparrows Crew. The group was designated a terrorist organisation by Russia’s Supreme Court in 2021 and has been linked in the past to attacks on journalists, including Anna Politkovskaya.

According to Baza, the attacker shouted nationalist slogans referencing the Holocaust during the assault. The channel also shared images purportedly showing a Nazi swastika drawn on a dormitory wall, allegedly using the blood of one of the victims.  Another Russian daily, Izvestia, also reported that the suspect held neo-Nazi views.

These claims have not been officially confirmed yet by investigators.

Russia has, in recent years, intensified its crackdown on far-right and neo-Nazi groups, many of which operate in small, decentralised cells and recruit heavily online. Several such organisations have been designated extremist or terrorist by Russian courts, allowing security agencies broader powers to monitor, detain, and prosecute suspected members.

Meanwhile, the Indian Embassy in Moscow, on Sunday, confirmed that four Indian students were among those injured in the attack.

Authorities in Ufa, located about 1,200 kilometres east of Moscow, have launched a high-level investigation into the incident. Russian officials have not yet disclosed whether the suspect had any prior connection with the victims or confirmed the exact motive behind the attack.