The following is our monthly review of instances of xenophobia and radical nationalism, along with any government countermeasures, for April 2026.

In April 2026, according to our data, nine individuals suffered in hate crimes. We became aware of practically all of them via reports published on far-right Telegram channels around April 20 (Hitler’s birthday).

Two of the four known incidents of interpersonal conflict involving xenophobic insults on public transport and in shopping centers occurred on this date. Between April 8 and April 20, we received reports of aggressive behavior on a Moscow bus, directed at a woman from Buryatia; in the Kazan metro directed at a mother with children; in Moscow directed at a taxi driver; and at Mega Park in Kudrovo (Leningrad Region) directed at a woman from Buryatia.

This year to date, we have recorded 63 violent hate crimes.

Additionally, we recorded three acts of xenophobic vandalism committed in April. A Lutheran church in Astrakhan, graves in the Jewish section of a graveyard in Dzerzhinsk (Nizhny Novgorod Region), and a Victory Banner (exact location unknown) were all targeted. Including these, we are aware of four acts of xenophobic vandalism committed so far this year.

The “Russian Community”, Russian Druzhina and Northern Man continued to lead their traditional vigilante raids. In April, they ran approximately nine such raids each week.

These organizations, together with Cossacks, also became involved with “guarding” Russian Orthodox churches during Easter. We are aware of such initiatives in 11 cities across the country.

Among far-right public events in April, we would note the Day of the Russian Nation, held on April 5 by Eduard Limonov’s Other Russia in 12 cities of the country. This event is timed to coincide with the anniversary of the Battle on the Ice (a thirteenth-century battle in which proto-Russian forces led by Alexander Nevsky vanquished an alliance of enemies led by the Livonian Order) and has been observed by National Bolsheviks since 1996. It took the form of pickets (with 20 people gathered in Veliky Novgorod), historical lectures and other meetings, concerts, and “propaganda raids” (for example posting of leaflets and painting graffiti).

On April 2, an underage far-right activist from Sevastopol was convicted under Article 167 Part 2 (intentional destruction or damage of property) and Article 205.5 Part 2 of the Criminal Code (participation in the actions of a terrorist organization) and sentenced to six years in prison for the arson of a car, the owner of which he considered to be Jewish, and for membership in an unnamed Ukrainian organization that had been deemed terrorist.

We are not aware of any other convictions in April for violent hate crimes.

In total, we have recorded nine convictions of 16 individuals, delivered in the first four months of the year, on the basis of xenophobic violence; as well as two convictions, against three people, for xenophobic vandalism.

We address prosecution under other provisions of anti-extremism legislation in a separate review.