Ramzan Kadyrov, president of Russia's mainly Muslim republic of Chechnya, called on Monday for the suppression of nationalism, which is "threatening the future of the country", the Chechen government's press service said on Monday.
A wave of ethnic clashes has swept Russia in the past few weeks after a Moscow football fan was shot dead during a fight between football supporters and migrants from Russia's mainly Muslim North Caucasus region on December 6.
"All manifestations of nationalism should be eradicated, so that no Russian citizen can even think of making [nationalist] statements on the streets," Kadyrov said .
Kadyrov called on the media to stop spreading racial hatred by constantly citing the nationality of criminals in news reports.
"What has the nationality got to do with the crime? 'Murderer' and 'gangster' are a criminal's only identity," the pro-Kremlin leader said.
GROZNY, December 20 (RIA Novosti)
