Afghan toddler fleeing Iran brutally attacked at Moscow Airport
Belarusian man charged with attempted murder
Moscow: A Belarusian national has been charged with attempted murder after a horrifying assault on an 18-month-old Afghan boy at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow. The toddler, who had fled conflict in Iran with his pregnant mother, was violently slammed to the ground by the accused in a shocking attack caught on CCTV.
The suspect, identified as Vladimir Vitkov, 31, is a nuclear construction worker who was recently dismissed from a project in Egypt. Russian investigators say he was under the influence of alcohol and cannabis at the time of the incident. During police interrogation, Vitkov confessed, saying: “I attempted to murder a child... I was under the influence of drugs.”
Footage from the airport shows Vitkov picking up the boy and throwing him headfirst onto the hard floor. The child, identified as Yazdan, suffered severe skull fractures, spinal injuries, and internal bleeding. He was placed in a medically induced coma at the Roshal Children's Centre in Moscow, but doctors have now confirmed that he is in stable condition and does not require neurosurgical treatment.
The assault occurred just minutes after Yazdan and his mother, Sahar Hajizada, arrived in Moscow while fleeing Israeli airstrikes in Iran. According to Iranian officials, the child was initially believed to be Iranian, but Russian authorities later confirmed he holds Afghan nationality.
The Iranian Ambassador to Russia, Kazem Jalali, condemned the incident as “completely inhuman” and said Iran had contacted Russian officials for an immediate investigation.
Russian children's rights ombudswoman Ksenia Mishonova called Vitkov a “drug-addled monster” and demanded the harshest punishment. “This is incredibly hard to bear. I hope this monster receives the full weight of the law. May the child recover, and the family find strength,” she said.
Sheremetyevo, Russia’s busiest airport handling over 40 million passengers annually, now faces criticism for failing to prevent one of the most disturbing acts of violence witnessed in its terminals.
Authorities have confirmed that Vitkov, who has a daughter roughly the same age as the victim, remains in custody and will face trial under attempted murder charges. Russian prosecutors are also examining whether racial hatred played a role in the attack.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Foreign Secretary Misri reviews defence, trade ties, West Asia with senior US officials
Washington (PTI): India's Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri met senior US officials here and discussed ways to further deepen the defence and trade relations and exchanged views on the developments in the Indo-Pacific and West Asia.
On a three-day visit here, Misri met under secretaries Michael Duffey and Elbridge Colby in the Department of Defence, and under secretaries Jeffrey Kessler and William Kimmitt in the Department of Commerce.
“Sustaining the momentum of India-US defence exchanges, Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had another wide ranging conversation with Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby @USWPColby at the Pentagon, covering the ongoing developments in the Indo-Pacific region and West Asia,” the Indian Embassy in the US said in a post on X.
Colby visited India last month and met Misri in New Delhi on the sidelines of the India-US Defence Policy Group meeting.
Misri also had a “fruitful interaction” with Duffey, the Under Secretary in the Department of Defence for Acquisition and Sustainment, at the Pentagon near here.
“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri had a fruitful interaction with the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment Mike Duffey @USDASDuffey at the Pentagon,” the Indian Embassy said in another post on X.
The two principals discussed ways to further deepen the defence industrial, technology and supply chain linkages between India and the US, in line with the ambitious goals laid out in the Framework for the bilateral Major Defence Partnership signed last year, the embassy said.
Misri also met under secretaries Jeffrey Kessler and William Kimmitt in the Department of Commerce here.
Kessler is the Under Secretary for Bureau of Industry and Security, while Kimmitt is the Under Secretary for International Trade Administration.
“Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri met Under Secretaries Jeffrey Kessler @BISgov and William Kimmitt @TradeGov to expand cooperation in commercial and critical technologies – key to transforming the India-US partnership for the 21st century. They also discussed building resilient and trusted supply chains,” the embassy said.
Misri is visiting the US to review bilateral trade and defence relations and discuss global developments, including the crisis in West Asia.
His visit comes as both the US and India work to stabilise the ties after a spell of uncertainty and strain.
The relations witnessed a major downturn after the US imposed punitive tariffs on India, and President Donald Trump made controversial assertions regarding his role in de-escalating the India-Pakistan military clashes last May.
