Mass brawl in cemetery turf war leaves three dead and dozens injured

At least three people have been killed and 24 others injured in a mass brawl at Moscow’s largest cemetery. They were among 200 people involved in violent clashes sparked by a dispute over jobs. Many of those involved were armed with bats, sticks and metal bars and police fired shots into the air to try to break up the fighting. More than 90 people were arrested.

(They) entered from all sides and beat everyone up and shot at cars, right in front of the clients

One cemetery worker

The clashes broke out at the Khovanskoye cemetery in south-west Moscow. According to the police, the fighting was between ethnic groups from ex-Soviet Central Asia and Russia’s volatile North Caucasus who were competing for some of the cemetery’s lucrative services business. The victims died after being run over by others trying to escape the scene in their cars. Three people in the car, who were armed with guns, were among those detained by police.

They came and told us, ‘You’d be working for us’. You’ll give us the whole sum, and we’ll give you back 10 percent. We didn’t agree, so they arrived, all armed, about 100 people, and shot people dead, just for that money

One of those injured

cemetery brawl