European soccer's governing body, UEFA, said on Sunday it had opened disciplinary proceedings against the Russian Football Union following crowd disturbances at the end of the Russia-England Euro 2016 match in Marseille.
Russian fans charged their English counterparts moments after the final whistle on Saturday, punching and kicking retreating England supporters, some of whom were forced to scale barriers to escape.
UEFA said a decision on sanctions would be made within the next few days, once Russia had been able to submit written statements.
Russian minister backs UEFA case against Russian soccer body
Russia's sports minister thinks European soccer body UEFA did the right thing by starting a disciplinary case against the Russian Football Union (RFU) for crowd disturbances after the Russia-England match, R-Sport reported.
"It's the right thing, there were flares, there was a flare gun, there had been clashes in the stands, it's necessary to sort all of this out," R-Sport news agency cited the minister, Vitaly Mutko, as saying.
"We will prepare properly, we will present our position... The fans were rooting greatly, but there are people who do not come for the football."