A NAZI-saluting pal of Vladimir Putin was among Russian thugs booted out of France yesterday.

Alexander Shprygin, 38, was on a coach raided by cops as it headed to Lille, where more Russians attacked English and Welsh fans last night.

6 Brute ... Alexander Shprygin, pictured above during England's Euro 16 match against Russia, is a pal of Russian PM Vladimir Putin

A group of around 70 hard-core “ultras” wearing masks and dressed in black launched a vicious assault in the city centre while chanting: “We are Russians!”

Fans defended themselves by hurling chairs and singing in unison: “F*** off Russians! We’re England and Wales!”

6 Salute ... Alexander Shprygin reveals his fascist-leanings as he poses with a topless woman at a gig

Earlier Shprygin, who is at Euro 2016 as a guest of the Russian FA, was stopped by armed cops in Cannes probing last weekend’s violence with England fans in Marseilles.

Dozens of Russians were hauled off the bus as it travelled north for their game today with Slovakia — amid fears of more trouble with England playing Wales just 20 miles away in Lens tomorrow.

6 Euro showdown ... Russian yobs target fans in Lille

Shprygin was snapped alongside Russian President Putin at a football fan’s funeral in 2010 and was pictured doing a Nazi salute at a thrash metal gig.

He tweeted of yesterday’s coach raid: “Circus! Leaders of fan clubs are in the bus! All to be deported!”

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6 Friends in high places ... Alexander Shprygin pictured with Russian PM Vladimir Putin in 2010 Credit: Getty Images

Shprygin, who runs various Russian businesses, is reported to have chartered a flight to France from Moscow for far-right thugs — six of whom were refused entry.

The neo-Nazi was detained for a year in Moscow in the 2000s for violence and is also under police investigation for smashing a photo-journalist’s camera in April.

He recently said he wanted “only Slavic faces in the Russian team” and there was “something wrong” with a French team photo as it contained “very many” black faces.

6 Trouble flaring ... a Russian yob taunts England fans during the Euro 16 tournament Credit: Getty Images

A former adviser to ultra-nationalist leader Vladimir Zhirinovsky, he is currently an aide to Zhirinovsky’s son Igor Lebedev on the Russian Football Union.

Lebedev said after Saturday’s violence: “I don’t see anything wrong with the fans fighting.

“Quite the opposite. Well done lads, keep it up!”

Reports in Moscow also claimed Shprygin was “congratulated” by Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko after the game, which saw English fans fleeing Russians in the stadium.

6 Bloodshed ... French cops tend to an injured fan during the aftermath of violent scenes in Marseilles Credit: AP:Associated Press

Tournament organisers Uefa yesterday handed out a “suspended disqualification” to Russia and fined it a measly £120,000.

A new “video-game style” Go-Pro video was also uploaded online which shows a Russian thug attacking England fans.

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