A Russian teenage gang based on extreme nationalism is wreaking havoc in Ukrainian cities following mass rampages in Russia. It is known that this gang is based on a criminal organization that appears in the Japanese cartoon ‘Hunter x Hunter’, which is also well known in Korea.
According to CNN and Newsweek on the 2nd (local time), PMC Redan had its first riot at Avia Park, a shopping mall in Moscow, Russia on the 19th of last month, followed by gang fights at shopping centers across Russia, including St. Petersburg. There was a commotion, etc.
On the 25th of last month, Russian authorities issued an order to arrest all teenagers who appeared to be PMC Redan members. Under the order, at least 350 people were arrested for participating in PMC Redan activities. The police confiscated gas cartridges and knives they were carrying.
Mirka Ibraeva, a user of Russia’s largest social network service (SNS) Bkantakze, said, “Eight people were killed in Zelenograd and one was stabbed in the head in Moscow as a result of the group’s riots.” “The police are now PMC We are focusing on arresting Redan members.”
PMC Redan uses the abbreviation ‘PMC (Private Military Company)’, but it is known that it is not a paramilitary organization. Members of this group wear black clothes with spiders and the number 4 on them. This seems to have been inspired by the Illusion Brigade of the Japanese cartoon ‘Hunter x Hunter’. The Illusion Brigade mainly steals and kills, and as a sign of membership, they have a tattoo of a spider pattern on their body.
Although the purpose of their activities is not known specifically, it is presumed that the group exhibited extreme nationalist tendencies as it put up the slogan ‘Russia for the Russians!’.
In particular, PMC Redan spread throughout Russia through Telegram, and activities of these groups were captured in Ukraine beyond Russia. Last week, they were also seen in Kiev, Lviv and Kharkiv, Ukraine. Ukrainian authorities said they had identified 245 members in Kharkiv alone, 215 of whom were minors.
In Dnipro, Ukraine, a 16-year-old boy who ran a Telegram account used to recruit members was arrested by police. “I am the founder of a group of about 2500 members,” the boy claimed.
On the 28th of last month, the police “blocked 18 Telegram channels and groups.” “This group was created to carry out a Russian military intelligence campaign. It involved minors in illegal activities aimed at disturbing the domestic situation in Ukraine.”
Contrary to Ukraine’s claim of ‘Russian espionage’, Russia also seems to be suffering from the activities of PMC Redan. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called PMC Redan’s activities “a ‘minus’ pseudo-subculture that does not bring anything good to young people,” and stressed that “we must respond accordingly.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.