Screenshot: Mash on Moyka

Criminal charges for hooliganism have been pressed against a group of teenagers who attacked an elderly man dressed as Vladimir Lenin as he walked through a playground in the city of St. Petersburg, the Investigative Committee announced on Thursday.

St. Petersburg news source Mash on Moyka posted footage on Thursday of three teenagers punching the man to the ground. State-affiliated St. Petersburg channel Fontanka wrote that the incident occurred earlier this summer, while Leningrad region news website iVBG.ru said the teenagers told the man before attacking him that this was “revenge for the revolution”.

The victim has been named as local man Fyodor Zhitoryuk, who lives within walking distance of where the attack took place, according to state-affiliated TV channel REN-TV. Fontanka said Zhitoryuk was 54 years old, though iVBG.ru put his age at 70.

Zhitoryuk said he did not remember the details of the incident, as he had suffered concussion in his youth and only learned of the incident when he saw footage online. He said he generally got on well with the local youths, but did not know the ones who had beaten him up.

Mash on Moyka also posted a video with one of the alleged attackers, in which he said, “I apologise to the old man I knocked out from behind”. The Investigative Committee did not specify whether the suspects had been detained.

Alleging a political motive for the attack, the Russian Antifa Telegram channel said that one of the teenagers involved was wearing a t-shirt with the logo of Norwegian black metal band Burzum, whose lead singer Varg Vikernes is known for his far-right views, while one of the other teenagers was wearing khaki trousers and a Lonsdale t-shirt, a brand popular among neo-Nazis, independent news outlet Mediazona noted.