Russia accused Polish soccer fans on Wednesday of provoking street battles with Russian supporters on the night of their countries’ Euro 2012 match and urged Warsaw to prevent further clashes in the tournament.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also told Poland’s leader Warsaw bore «full responsibility» for the safety of fans, the Kremlin said – comments during a phone conversation which raised the stakes in the violent confrontation which brought the nations’ troubled relationship to the fore.
Fighting erupted as thousands of Russian fans marched towards the stadium before the match on Tuesday, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Masked hooligans attacked Russian fans. Some Russians fought back and both groups also clashed with police.
Polish authorities apologised on Wednesday for the tournament’s first significant outbreak of violence but Prime Minister Donald Tusk played down its scale and significance.
«It wasn’t a Poland-Russian battle on the streets of Warsaw,» Tusk said. «Only a few hundred idiots tried to prove they are more important than the fans or the whole tournament. I would leave politics out of this.»
Russia’s foreign ministry said there had been efforts to protect Russian fans in Warsaw. «But unfortunately, provocations by some groups of Polish fans could not be avoided,» Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
«We truly hope that the events of June 12 are not repeated, that the Polish authorities take all necessary measures and that the remaining matches are a true celebration for all lovers of soccer,» the statement said.
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