After a 'spooky' BBC documentary depicted Russian football fans as ne'er-do-well eejits, a few more of them have quite literally banded together to ask English fans not to be put off by the violence at Euro 2016 when it comes to the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
In what Russia Today describes as a 'light-hearted, tongue-in-cheek rendition of a 19th-century Cossack song – with a peaceful message', a group of some 12 Russians ask their English counterparts to cast no aspersions after last summer's tournament was marred by violence between both sets of fans.
The song calls on the BBC “not to fright a British fan” - this after its documentary was labelled anti-Russian propaganda in, well Russia. The chorus reiterates: “don’t be afraid, we won’t touch you.”
You'd believe the two lads in front, for sure...
Russian song for England fans
It could all kick off at the Eurovision this year.
Vasily Stepanov, former leader of the 'Spartak Gladiators' - a Spartak Moscow fans group - told RT of his involvement in the BBC documentary:
Yes, I did participate in the film, but I'm amazed at how they twist my words in the media now.
I haven’t seen the movie itself, though. I’ve only read an article about it in (British newspaper) the Guardian, which I call a ‘smear campaign.’ The part about ‘Putin’s military forces in Marseille’ is a barefaced lie.
I’d never say that. I knew who I was talking to, and what kind of answers they were looking for.
Last summer I was in my holiday home just outside of Moscow with my wife, who was expecting our fifth child, when I learned from British media that I am actually in Marseille and supervising the clashes of the Russian fans.
Honestly, I won’t even be surprised if they make me a boogieman for little kids in England.
Another young fan also revealed that the BBC journalists specifically asked Russian supporters to put on masks and balaclavas ahead of their interviews, “probably to make it scarier.”
