No interethnic clashes occurred in Nikopol, Ukraine, the Head of the Armenian community in Nikopol Tigran Sargsyan told NEWS.am.

“The atmosphere in Nikopol is quiet. No unrests occurred in the city,” Sargsyan noted. Referring to the destruction of Armenian khachkar (cross stone) by Ukrainians, Sargsyan said one of the two local residents killed by an Armenian lived in a building located next to the Armenian khachkar.

“After the funeral, a group of drunken young Ukrainians decided to “take revenge” from the cross-stone. This initiative was of a personal rather than massive nature. The group destroyed the cross-stone in a drunken state. However, this action was sharply condemned and 4 desecrators have been detained,” Sargsyan said.

Commenting on the information that shops of Armenians are smashed in Nikopol, Sargsyan said: “This is misinformation. There are no unrests in the city.”

As NEWS.am reported previously, on January 1, 2011, scuffle occurred between two Armenians and a group of young Ukrainians in Nikopol town in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast of Ukraine. During the fight, an Armenian killed two local residents and stabbed two others. According to Tigran Sargsyan, one of the two wounded has already been discharged from hospital. There is no threat to the other’s life.