Pro-Russian Bikers in Montenegro Want pro-Ukrainian Rally Stopped

A member of the motorcycle club 'Night Wolves' at a wreath-laying ceremony for Soviet soldiers in WWII in Dresden, Germany. Photo: EPA-EFE/FILIP SINGER

The pro-Kremlin biker club called on the Montenegrin Ministry of Interior to prohibit the gathering in Podgorica, warning it could provoke incidents.

"We don't want the transfer of war hysteria from the Russian-Ukrainian border to Montenegro, which has already been politically divided. War-mongering rhetoric and those who use it do not deserve our hospitality," their letter reads.

"The organisers [of the march] are provoking religious and national intolerance, and possible conflicts on that basis," they added.

Led by Alexander Zaldostanov "The Surgeon", the Night Wolves were established as a club of rock music and motorcycle fans back in the 1980s.

They have a strong relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who calls them "friends" and often appears at their nationalist-themed rallies, riding a Harley Davidson.

The group gained notoriety after participating in Russia's annexation of the Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, patrolling the streets of the Crimean city of Sevastopol.

In October 2014, the bikers visited Montenegro on a motorcycle pilgrimage called "Russian Balkan," which was promoted on the official website of the Russian embassy in Podgorica.

Their branch in Montenegro includes members from towns across the country, operating under the motto "Pray to God and stick to Russia".

On Thursday, ahead of the planned rally, the Russian embassy in Podgorica called on the authorities to strengthen security around the embassy building.

Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova reminded the Montenegrin authorities that Ukraine's Consul in...

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