The UK has seen a big spike in hate crimes against Russian nationals since the outbreak of the military conflict in Ukraine. Victims also include young school children, figures collated by police reveal.

Sky News sent freedom of information requests to the UK’s more than 40 territorial police forces and the British Transport Police to obtain data regarding race hate crimes against Russians.

In total, just 14 forces provided relevant data on race hate crimes. The remaining forces either did not respond, or said they had no recorded anti-Russian offences. The Metropolitan Police – the UK’s largest police force – refused to answer the freedom of information request, saying it would cost too much to retrieve the information.

However, information provided by some of the responding forces clearly reveals that

anti-Russian offences have significantly increased in the UK since the outbreak of the Ukraine war.

The charity Victim Support said it had seen a „flurry” of anti-Russian hate crimes.

Recorded incidents included „hate-related bullying” in schools, with some of the victims being of primary school age.

„Quite often with children and adults, it’s got that narrative of: ‘Go back home’,” said Becca Rosenthal, hate crime operations manager at Victim Support.

Sky News presented a number of cases. Several Russian nationals have been physically assaulted or threatened. One victim was assaulted and told: „All Russians are murderers.” Another victim suspected that paint had been poured over their vehicle due to their Russian nationality.

Law enforcement recorded dozens of crimes against Russians, including assault causing actual bodily harm, criminal damage and racially aggravated harassment.

Greater Manchester Police said 13 race hate crimes against Russian victims had been recorded since the invasion of Ukraine, up from six in 2021 and two in 2020. Derbyshire Police have recorded four anti-Russian offences since 24 February 2022 – compared to zero crimes in 2021 – including assault causing actual bodily harm, criminal damage and racially aggravated harassment. Cambridgeshire Police said it had seen seven race hate crimes against Russian victims since the war in Ukraine – the same number as in 2021 – including racially-aggravated common assault or beating and harassment.

City of London, Dorset, Kent, Avon and Somerset, Hertfordshire and Lincolnshire police forces have also recorded race crimes against Russians since the conflict began.

Meanwhile, the British Transport Police have recorded three anti-Russian offences during the Ukraine war, after having recorded none in 2021.

Metropolitan Police have previously revealed that it recorded 16 hate crimes against Russian victims in the first two months of the war in Ukraine, compared to 22 offences across the whole year before the invasion.

Russian chef Alexei Zimin told Sky News that his London restaurant received threatening calls and had bookings cancelled in the early weeks of the invasion of Ukraine, in spite of the fact that he is an opponent of the war.

Some said things like „You Russian pigs,” and „you need to close your restaurant or we’ll do it.”

Becca Rosenthal added that Victim Support had also seen cases involving „anti-Ukrainian rhetoric” and victims from other countries being targeted in the mistaken belief they are Russian.