They were fined and given a suspended six-point deduction for their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign after fans assaulted stadium security staff and displayed illicit banners at the 2012 tournament in Poland and Ukraine.
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Lebedev’s comments came as Russia faces the threat of disqualification from Euro 2016 and a British fan remained in a critical condition after fights in Marseille during and after the England-Russia match on Saturday.
The English national team has also been threatened with the possibility of a UEFA sanction for its fans’ involvement in ugly scenes of violence in Marseille.
On Monday, a Russian politician said he saw nothing wrong with the fans’ violence. “We are happy to be here and it will be a big disappointment if we go out”, added the powerful Zenit St Petersburg striker.
“Everyone who wrote bad things under my tweet in support of our fans, I want to say: RUSSIA WAS, IS AND WILL BE GREAT COUNTRY!!!”
Fabienne Buccio, prefect of the Pas-de-Calais region, said Lens will be in “lockdown by the police”, with all alcohol sales in the town having been banned on the day of the game.
“This is contradicted both by the video evidence and by the fact your independent disciplinary bodies have only instigated sanctions against the Russian Football Union”. However, any further incidents of crowd disturbance inside grounds at Russia’s matches during the European Championship will see the suspension lifted and the country thrown out of Euro 2016.
Russian Federation play Slovakia in Lille’s Pierre Mauroy stadium on Wednesday and then take on group leaders Wales in their final group match in Toulouse next Monday.
Alexander Shprygin, head of the Russian Union of Supporters, tweeted that a bus taking Russian fans to Lille was stopped and searched by riot police in Mandelieu, near Cannes in southern France, on Tuesday.
A Downing Street spokesman has said numerous British public-order and transport police officers will be sent to France to help local authorities.
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Over three days of disorder in Marseille, 35 people were injured – majority England fans – and a total of 20 people were arrested.
