Police on Friday opened a criminal case into an attack on journalists ahead of Zenit St. Petersburg Football Club's last-day victory over Kuban Krasnodar.
Three Zenit fans were detained after Thursday's game on suspicion of assaulting a cameraman and damaging equipment, but were later released due to a lack of evidence, the Krasnodar region's police department said in an
Police are still looking for other suspects, the statement said.
Last weekend Zenit fans got their club into hot water with Russia's football authorities for their behavior during the club's match against Dynamo Moscow in St. Petersburg.
With their team trailing 4-2, hundreds of Zenit fans flooded the pitch in a bid to disrupt the game, with one supporter punching Dynamo captain Vladimir Granat in the face.
The game was abandoned and later recorded as a 3-0 win for Dynamo — a result that had a serious bearing on the league's outcome.
Zenit were fined fined 1 million rubles ($28,500) and ordered to play two home games behind closed doors for failing to control their fans.
The supporter who threw the punch at Granat handed himself in to police on Thursday.
This year's premier league title race, which was one of the most exciting in recent memory, ended in disappointment for Zenit.
The St. Petersburg side went into its game against Kuban a point behind reigning champions CSKA Moscow, who were up against city rivals and fellow title hopefuls Lokomotiv.
CSKA duly came up with goods, dispatching Lokomotiv 1-0, meaning that Zenit's 4-2 victory was not enough to secure the club's fourth league title since 2007.
Lokomotiv, who had spent much of the season in the top two, eventually finished third in the standings, missing out on a Champions League place.
Read more:
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.