Dozens of African students rallied this week to protest against the killing of a comrade in what is believed to be the latest in a string of racially-motivated attacks in Russia’s second largest city. One student from Cameroon was killed and another African badly injured on Saturday in an attack by unidentified young people. Police have launched an investigation under a criminal code article dealing with racially-motivated murders.

Dozens of African and Asian nationals have been targeted by neo-Nazi groups which have mushroomed among young Russians humiliated by defeat in the Cold War and still recovering from post-Soviet political and economic instability. In St Petersburg alone more than 10 Africans and Asians have been killed in such attacks in the past two years. In murders that shocked the nation, racists killed two Roma, or gypsy, girls aged five and nine.

“The silence of city authorities and law enforcement bodies encourages skinheads,” Tunkara Aliu, head of the African Unity group, told the rally, attended also by Russian supporters. “Authorities say hooligans stage those attacks, but this is not true,” he added. “This is racism and genocide.” Rights groups have warned that mainstream politicians are increasingly embracing racist rhetoric.