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Second Russian Journalist Brutally Beaten in Moscow

A Russian journalist has been brutally beaten, according to Russian media, in the second such attack in days, reports BBC News.

Anatoliy Adamchuk (pictured), from the Zhukovskiye Vesti suburban Moscow weekly, suffered concussion and head injuries, according to Ekho Moskvy (Echo of Moscow) news agency.

It comes after leading journalist Oleg Kashin was severely beaten outside his home on Saturday.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has called for his attackers to be found and punished.

Footage of what appears to be Kashin’s assault has spread online and was aired on state TV.

The incidents have increased pressure on the Kremlin to investigate cases of press violence, which are common in Russia.

Adamchuk had been reporting on the arrests of children protesting against the cutting down of a forest as part of the construction of a road.

“Two unidentified individuals attacked him from behind, striking him on the back of his head and delivering several more blows when he was already down on the ground,” journalist Sergey Grammatin, a colleague of Adamchuk, was quoted as saying.

Kashin had also been reporting on demonstrations against the building of a road through a forest, a key motorway project that has now been put on hold by the government.

An environmental activist who had campaigned against the motorway was brutally attacked in the town of Khimki on Thursday.

Konstantin Fetisov’s skull was fractured shortly after he was released by police who had questioned him about a protest.

Meanwhile, a 90-second clip of what purported to show the attack on Kashin, a reporter with Kommersant business daily, showed the extent of the assault.

President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an investigation into the assault, which police are treating as attempted murder.

“There are forces which believe that by using such methods they can shut anybody up, whether it’s a journalist or a politician,” he said.

“Whoever is involved in this crime will be punished regardless of his position, place in society or accomplishments.”