The series of videos, posted by Kirov’s KU43 online local news network, joins the two unnamed participants mid-wrestle, though thankfully the winner of the struggle gives a helpful summary of what must have occurred in the seconds before.

“Shut the f**k up, mother******. Did you want to deprive me of my money? I have to feed my children and that b**** wanted to steal my handbag. Eat dirt, scum,” goes her monologue, as she dunks his face in the puddle.

At first the pinned-down man attempts to exchange repartee with his vanquisher, sarcastically agreeing, “Of course, I stole 200,000 rubles from you (US$3,000), I took all your money!” But then the chokehold is tightened, and the would-be attacker is reduced to whimpering and wailing “B****!” over and over again, as more obscenities are whispered into his mud-smeared face.

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The sequence threatens to turn into a farce, as sympathetic-but-impassive observers gather – gently kicking the man, and pouring water over his head, as well as filming from several angles. Even the victim-turned-enforcer acknowledges that the police are taking their time to arrive.

Finally, the holding van is here, and the man is dragged inside, suddenly reinvigorated into shouting more abuse.

While no-one stepped up to identify the participants of the citizens’ arrest, several suggested that they know the two to be neighbors who may have enjoyed at least a passing acquaintance with each other prior to the mugging attempt.