Belarusian man high on cannabis grabbed Afghan family’s child in Moscow baggage claim before horrified witnesses could stop him – as Russia charges him with attempted murder
A two-year-old boy is fighting for his life in a coma after a drug-fuelled passenger picked him up and violently slammed him to the floor of Moscow’s busiest airport in a sickening attack that’s shocked Russia.
The innocent toddler suffered catastrophic injuries including a fractured skull and broken spine when the crazed attacker grabbed him in the baggage claim area at Sheremetyevo International Airport and lifted him above his head before throwing him down with devastating force.
The child, who had just arrived from Afghanistan with his family, lost consciousness immediately and was rushed to hospital where he remains in critical condition at the renowned Dr. Roshal’s Clinic in Moscow.
State news agency TASS confirmed the horrifying assault occurred just before midnight yesterday in the departure lounge, with the attacker identified as a Belarusian citizen who had arrived on a flight from Cairo.
Medical examinations revealed traces of cannabis in the suspect’s blood, and transport police immediately detained the man who now faces attempted murder charges that could see him jailed for decades.
‘He made mistakes’
In a chilling admission during interrogation, the drugged-up attacker simply stated that he “made mistakes” and had behaved “inappropriately” – a grotesque understatement for an act of violence that’s left a toddler clinging to life.
The Investigative Committee, Russia’s equivalent of the FBI, has opened a criminal case under the article on attempted murder of a minor, highlighting the severity of the unprovoked attack on the defenceless child.
According to law enforcement sources, the little boy’s family had just collected their luggage and were preparing to leave the airport when the attacker struck without warning, grabbing the child and hurling him to the ground in front of horrified onlookers.
Witnesses described scenes of absolute horror as the child’s family screamed in terror while other passengers rushed to prevent the man from inflicting further harm on the unconscious toddler.
Critical but stable
Medical staff at Dr. Roshal’s Clinic – one of Russia’s leading pediatric trauma centres – confirmed the boy is currently in a “serious but stable condition” as they battle to save his life.
The devastating injuries include a fractured spine and cranial vault, injuries typically associated with high-impact trauma that could leave lasting damage even if the child survives his ordeal.
Doctors are providing “all necessary assistance” according to official statements, but the road to recovery for such severe injuries in a child so young remains uncertain and fraught with danger.
The attack has sent shockwaves through Russia’s aviation community and raised urgent questions about security measures at the country’s airports, particularly regarding passengers under the influence of drugs.
History of chaos at Sheremetyevo
Sheremetyevo International Airport, Russia’s busiest aviation hub handling more than 40 million passengers annually, has witnessed its share of dramatic incidents over the years.
The sprawling airport complex northwest of Moscow serves as the main gateway for international flights to Russia and has been the scene of several high-profile security incidents.
In 2018, the airport made international headlines when a drunk 38-year-old passenger sparked chaos by demanding to be let off a plane for a cigarette as it prepared for takeoff to Krasnoyarsk in central Russia.
The intoxicated man became increasingly aggressive when fellow passengers, including a man in a red jumper sitting behind him, tried to reason with him and explain he could smoke when they reached their destination.
The confrontation escalated into a full-blown fist fight caught on smartphone video, with the pair exchanging blows as terrified cabin crew desperately tried to separate them.
Two-hour delay and criminal charges
The pilot was forced to turn the aircraft back to the gate so the disruptive passenger could be removed and arrested by airport police, causing a two-hour delay for all aboard.
The man, whose name was never released, continued swearing and insulting other passengers throughout the incident, bizarrely asking them if they had “read the script” as he was hauled away.
He was subsequently charged with hooliganism and faced a hefty fine for his drunken rampage that disrupted an entire flight and put passenger safety at risk.
That incident, while serious, pales in comparison to the horror inflicted on the two-year-old child in yesterday’s attack, which represents a shocking escalation in airport violence.
Urgent security review needed
Aviation security experts are now calling for enhanced screening measures at Russian airports to identify passengers under the influence of drugs or alcohol before they can pose a threat to innocent travellers.
The fact that a passenger high on cannabis was able to board an international flight and then carry out such a brutal attack on a child has raised serious concerns about current security protocols.
Transport police at Sheremetyevo have launched a comprehensive investigation into how the attack was allowed to happen and whether warning signs were missed that could have prevented the tragedy.
As the little boy fights for his life in intensive care, his family faces an agonising wait to learn whether their child will survive – and if he does, what lasting damage this senseless act of violence may have caused.
The Belarusian attacker remains in custody awaiting formal charges, with prosecutors seeking the maximum penalty for attempted murder of a minor – a crime that could see him spending decades behind bars in one of Russia’s notorious penal colonies.
For now, Russia watches and waits as doctors battle to save a two-year-old whose only crime was being in the wrong place when a drug-addled monster decided to commit an act of incomprehensible evil.
