A Russian resident in the town of Visaginas, northeastern Lithuania, has been charged with assaulting a woman in what is suspected to be a hate crime. The woman is a Lithuanian language teacher in the predominantly Russian-speaking town.

The teacher was assaulted on Monday on her way from work in a Visaginas school.

Local prosecutor Genadijus Jefimovas has told BNS that the the suspect, a 24-year-old Russian citizen who has a residence permit in Lithuania, has been ordered to wear an ankle monitor for six months.

“He's had an ankle monitor put for six months. He will be controlled, monitored, there are conditions where he can go and whom he can see,” the prosecutor said.

According to the prosecutor, the ongoing police investigation into minor bodily harm motivated by ethnic hatred has been handed over to Panevėžys Regional Prosecutor's Office.

The young man is not employed right now, is not in education and has no previous convictions. He's facing up to five years in prison for the assault.