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.
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Netherlands PM Dick Schoof visits Bengaluru
Bengaluru (PTI): The Netherlands Prime Minister Dick Schoof arrived here on Thursday on an official visit, sources said.
Schoof, accompanied by a delegation, landed at Kempegowda International Airport, where he was received by Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, who welcomed him with a bouquet, officials added.
Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh and other senior officials were also present.
According to a statement, the Netherlands Prime Minister is scheduled to visit the Philips Innovation Campus in R T Nagar, the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) Control Centre on Infantry Road, and the Indian Institute of Science on Friday.
He will also attend a luncheon with industrialists before departing the city by a special aircraft, the statement said.
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