Gay rights activist Kirill Kalugin unfolded a pride flag reading "This is Tolerance Propaganda" on St. Petersburg's Dvortsovaya Square.
A group of paratroopers celebrating the annual "Paratrooper Day" holiday surrounded him and told him to leave.
When Kalugin refused, the paratroopers started shoving him.
Kalugin said that he recognized some of the men as nationalists who had previously attacked LGBT demonstrations in St. Petersburg while dressed as Cossacks.
