THIS is the chaotic moment Putin’s spy hockey team brawls with their opponent squad on ice before having them arrested when they lost.
Shocking footage shows players from the Federal Security Service (FSB) “Phantom” team throwing punches and tackling members of rival “Tough Guy” to the ground.
Ice hockey matches can often result in fights, but following this particular game, the FSB — the primary agency that succeeded the Soviet Union’s KGB — reportedly gave the order to arrest the opposing players.
According to a Telegram channel, five of the players were arrested right away and accused of “hooliganism,” a crime with a possible seven-year prison term.
The decision has caused controversy in Russia, dividing supporters of the security services and sports enthusiasts on whether the hockey players should have been arrested.
All twelve participants engaged in grappling and punching each other while fighting on the ice in March in far-east Russia.
While an opponent defender and an FSB attacker grappled to the ground, blows between teammates broke out as other Tough Guy players began hitting the rival squad.
There were many spectators on the ice rink where the fight took place, who were watching as the Tough Guys appeared to overcome the FSB squad.
Even after the bouts were brought to the ground, officials in the tumultuous footage were utterly overpowered and unable to stop them.
Fighting is allowed in professional ice hockey, but referees break up fights once a player falls on the ice for safety.
Players can be seen repeatedly in the video hitting each other in the head even if their opponents are on the ground.
The players also did not remove their gloves before the fight, which is customary in games of professional ice hockey.
The video was posted by Baza, a Telegram group that has strong ties to the Russian intelligence services.
Baza also mentioned that the Tough Guy team was eliminated from the competition.
A judge deemed two more Tough Guy players to be a “flight risk” prior to their trial, and they were taken into custody last week and told to give up their passports.
Russian Telegram channel Newsbox24 slammed the “absurd” arrests after a “standard” ice hockey brawl.
It said: “If you go into the rink against an FSB or police team, should you also prepare to be imprisoned in case you win?”
A comment on the Newsbox24 post stated that the FSB team had been “humiliated” and had acted like cowards by supposedly ordering their detention.
Three-time Olympic cross-country ski champion Yulia Chepalova, meanwhile, said that although the Tough Guy players should be ashamed of themselves for fighting with the FSB, criminal prosecutions were going too far.
The FSB still holds a significant amount of authority throughout Russia and is based in the old KGB headquarters on Lubyanka Square in the city’s centre.
Russian President Boris Yeltsin named Vladimir Putin as the organisation’s director back in 1998.
Putin expanded the FSB’s responsibilities as president to combat organised crime, counter foreign intelligence activities, and quell Chechen rebels.
Vlad, a former KGB officer, quickly inserted his fellow former KGB comrades into every aspect of Russian life after becoming the president of Russia in late 1999.
The “siloviki”, or strongmen, who were installed by Putin and were formerly KGB operatives, still hold significant power over state-owned businesses, law enforcement, and other important government ministries.
