BBC Staff Attacked in Moscow

In three separate incidents, on November 24th, November 25th and November 30th, three members of BBC staff in Moscow were attacked by youths at least two of which required hospital treatment.

The first attack took place on a subway system, when one of the BBC's Russian staff was subject to racial abuse and assaulted before his assailants were arrested, the second more serious attack saw the victim robbed and left with a broken nose and two broken ribs just near his home, whilst the latest attack left the employee in question needed stitches to a head wound after he was set upon on his way home from work.

The BBC suspects foul play in what may be a semi-official intimidation campaign against the organisation, after it covered anti-Putin protests in the lead up to elections - something which Russian state-controlled media were forbidden to do.

Earlier this week members of a pro-Kremlin youth group staged a picket outside the BBC headquarters, whilst in August the Kremlin shut down the BBC Russian Service's FM frequency, severely limiting their ability to broadcast.

With Britain and Russia's diplomatic relations at an all time low, the verdict of foul play is certainly likely.