The Embassy of Tajikistan in Moscow has taken control of the investigation into the tragic death of a 10-year-old Tajik boy in a school xenophobic attack in Odintsovo district, Moscow region, and has sent an official letter to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This was confirmed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan in a statement to the Asia-Plus news agency.

The ministry confirmed that the murdered boy, Qobiljon Aliyev, was both a citizen of Tajikistan and Russia. "This matter is under the control of the Tajik Embassy in Russia. An official letter has been sent to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The embassy is in constant contact with the mother of the deceased," the ministry stated.

Tajikistan expressed its condolences to the family of the victim and voiced hope that the Russian authorities would conduct a fair investigation and ensure that those responsible face appropriate punishment.

The incident took place at approximately 9:00 AM on December 16 at Uspenskaya School in Gorki-2 settlement, Odintsovo district, Moscow region. A 15-year-old Russian teenager attacked a school security guard and one of the students. The ten-year-old Qobiljon Aliyev died from the injuries he sustained. Russian Investigative Committee reports did not mention the identity or citizenship of the victim.

Details of the crime

Photos and videos from the scene, initially published by the Russian Telegram channel Mash, show the teenager approaching a group of students and asking, "What is your nationality?" A security guard attempts to intervene, but the attacker sprays pepper spray and stabs the guard. He then continued to attack the students and inflicted knife wounds on one of them.

According to the 112 channel, the victim's mother worked as a janitor at the same school. Radio Ozodi, citing a neighbor, reported that the woman raised two children after the death of her husband.

After the murder, the attacker barricaded himself in one of the classrooms, where he was arrested by law enforcement officers.

During interrogation, the teenager confessed to the crime. Criminal proceedings have been instituted against him under Article 105 (3) of Russia’s Pena Code - murder and attempted murder; an investigation is under way. 

Russian media reports suggest that the attack was motivated by the attacker’s nationalist and xenophobic views. Before the incident, he sent his classmates a "manifesto" titled "My Anger," in which he expressed aggression toward Jews, Muslims, anti-fascists, and liberals.

Xenophobia in Russia

Racism in Russia mainly appears in the form of negative attitudes towards non-ethnic Russian citizens, immigrants or tourists and negative actions against them by some Russians. Traditionally, Russian racism includes antisemitism and Tatarophobia, as well as hostility towards the various peoples of the Caucasus, Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia and Africa.

Some sources say tens of thousands of people joined neo-Nazi groups inside Russia in the 2000s. Racism is reportedly a significant problem in Russia.