He was in a grocery store buying a chocolate bar and a bottle of champagne to visit his friends for a New Year's celebration when a man asked him for some change. After Arkelov refused to give him money, he saw the man approach two youths with shaved heads whom he identified as skinheads standing nearby and whispered something. Several minutes later, after Arkelov walked out of the store, he was jumped from behind.
``They punched me on my eyes, my face, and all of a sudden I couldn't see anymore. Then I collapsed to the ground and they started beating me with their feet,'' Arkelov recalled. ``If it weren't for a woman across the street who screamed 'What are you doing?' If it weren't for this scream of hers, I think they would have beaten me to death.''
Brod's study predicted that the number of skinheads could grow to 80,000 to 100,000 within the next two years if authorities don't take measures to combat xenophobia. Interior Ministry officials have said they were closely watching 10,000 suspected members of extremist groups, but all too often racially motivated attacks are dismissed as hooliganism.
``Racism isn't unique to Russia, I know it exists in Europe and America,'' Arkelov said. ``But unlike Russia, in those countries it is prosecuted and the state pursues specific policies to combat it.''
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