redeyedstranger

I live in Moscow and there's actually a lot of black people here, mostly Africans who went here to get education. In Sochi they're far less common, thus the reaction. A lot of foreigners actually quite overestimate racism and homophobia in general population in major Russian cities, usually you'll get a surprised look at most. The animosity will only come from skin-heads and bigots, who are hardly more common here than anywhere else in the world.

The thing about Chechen people is that they were historically always viewed as bandits and cut-throats. Even before Russian Empire established military presence in Checnya in 19-th century, locals were raiding anyone trying to go through the region. And after that they were trying to get rid of any Russian presence there.

When they finally managed to do this in 1990-ies, the region instantly descended into chaos. Prominent clans fighting each other for power, opposing Dudayev, rampant murders, slavery, genocide of any non-Chechens in the region, raiding any trains passing through, etc.

You can read more about both Chechen wars and terrorism acts that followed and still happen occasionally if you want, but you get where this animosity towards Chechen people is coming from.

You're absolutely right and I read this poem. :) Of course I realize that not every Chechen is a terrorist or a murderer and a thief, I was just trying to explain the reason they have such a reputation. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of honourable and peaceful people in Chechnya. But those aren't people that come to Russia with guns and explosives and kill innocent people. Thus they aren't people we get to hear about, sadly.