Masked men attack Moscow locals in shocking street brawl near Prokshino complex

A crowd reportedly composed of migrants broke out into a mass brawl in the streets of Moscow, with mobs armed with iron bars and shovels seen chasing panicked local residents.

Footage shows the masked thugs chasing locals down the street near the Prokshino residential complex in the Russian capital while brandishing their makeshift weapons, before attacking them and smashing up vehicles.

At least 11 people have been arrested and charged with hooliganism, and several face deportation due to them being migrant construction workers, according to local media.

The incident unfolded at around midday on Saturday, with witnesses describing how they saw up to 15 hooded men gathering around the complex hours before they launched their terrifying attack on residents.

Some perpetrators can be seen in videos jumping over locked gates, while others wield their massive shovels and iron bars as they hit several cars.

Another clip shows a man being beaten up by the group before he is pulled away.

It is unclear what their motive was and who they were targeting.

Cops quickly arrived at the scene and arrested 11 people and said they are looking for the rest of the perpetrators.

At least five people were injured and several cars were damaged.

The incident comes a day after a top Russian banker and longtime ally of President Vladimir Putin said that the country will need to attract millions of skilled migrants to achieve an economic growth rate of at least 3.2 percent and sustain its economy.

German Gref, CEO of Russia’s largest lender Sberbank, told members of the State Council on Demographic and Family Policy that higher growth could only be achieved by either increasing productivity or expanding the workforce.

“Without economic growth, there will be nothing. We won’t be able to solve social problems or any others. We must grow at a rate no lower than the global average. That means at least 3.2 percent annually until 2030,” Gref said.

The country has faced acute labor shortages across multiple sectors since the start of the war in Ukraine, as hundreds of thousands joined the military.

Generous payouts to army volunteers have also triggered a wage growth spiral.

Migration remains a politically sensitive issue in Russia, and public calls to increase migrant numbers are rare.

Russia has relied on foreign workers, mainly from ex-Soviet republics in Central Asia, in sectors such as construction and municipal services.

Migration has been restricted since a deadly attack at a Moscow concert hall in 2024.