Putin won’t order them into battle, but Russian hooligans will pose problems at the World Cup

That’s because Russian President Vladimir Putin doesn’t want to look bad when he’s the one hosting the event! To allow Russian hooligans to rampage thru the tournament’s various host cities attacking foreign guests wouldn’t just be destructive for Russian’s tourism industry, which Putin is desperate to boost (maybe stop using nerve agents?), it would make Putin look weak. And that perception is one the Russian leader is always desperate to avoid.

This summer the violent hooligan organizations which populate Russian soccer life have been warned by Putin’s security forces to leave foreigners alone. It’s a marked change from the Euro 2016 soccer tournament in which Russian government-enabled hooligans caused numerous serious injuries when they attacked fans across France.

Still, the Russian authorities won’t be able to corral their hooligans entirely.

Aligned under the so-called “ultra” ethos, the Russian hooligan movement has embraced an increasingly ethno-nationalist ideology in recent years. Where they once saw themselves as guys out for a good fun fight, the hooligans now see themselves as servants of Russian patriotic purity and Russian masculinity. As they meet up for organized fights with other Russian hooligans, these considerations fuel their impulse towards escalation. That escalatory concern is exacerbated by the fact that Russian hooligans tend to be intoxicated during their excursions.

There’s an irony in the fact that Putin has cultivated the hooligans and their associated causes such as homophobia, and now finds himself challenged by them.

Regardless, there’s a simple takeaway for foreign visitors heading to Russia for the World Cup: Stay close to the police.