Over the course of the summer, several attacks on market traders from the Caucasus have taken place in the city of Yoshkar-Ola, Russia (Republic of Mari-El), but local authorities are allegedly trying to hush them up, according to an August 14, 2006 report by the Sova Information-Analytical Center. Police admit to two attacks on market traders, but unofficial sources of information assert that the attacks this summer number around four dozen. These sources also tell Sova that racist graffiti appeared near the market shortly before the attacks, including death threats against “khachi” (a pejorative for people form the Caucasus) and swastikas. However, the local press is allegedly covering the violence as if it were the result of consumers' anger over shabby products rather than hate crimes. Officials are allegedly pressuring victims to refute that racist violence has taken place at the market.

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