AIRPORT HORROR: ‘Drug-Addled Monster’ Hurls War Refugee Baby to Ground in Sickening Attack
A “drug-addled monster” has confessed to attempting to murder a one-year-old boy who had just escaped the Israel-Iran conflict, in a sickening attack that has shocked Russia.
Vladimir Vitkov, 31, a Belarusian nuclear power plant construction worker, picked up little Yazdan and violently hurled him headfirst onto the floor of Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport arrivals hall – just minutes after the tot and his pregnant mother had landed seeking safety from Iranian bombing.
The 18-month-old is now fighting for his life in a medically-induced coma with catastrophic skull fractures and spinal injuries, as his distraught mother keeps vigil at his hospital bedside.
In a chilling confession to police, Vitkov admitted: “I attempted to murder a child… at Sheremetyevo Airport.” When asked why, he claimed he “didn’t know” because he was “under the influence of drugs.
Three Bottles of Whisky and Cannabis
The horrifying attack has sparked international outrage, with Moscow region children’s ombudswoman Ksenia Mishonova branding Vitkov a “stoned drug addict” and “absolute monster” who should face “hard labour until he is feeble with old age.
Reports revealed Vitkov had consumed three bottles of whisky and obtained cannabis in Cairo before carrying out the brutal assault. Traces of the drug were found in his blood, and police discovered more cannabis in his possession when he was arrested.
The attack occurred just before midnight on Tuesday in the airport’s departure lounge, Russia’s busiest hub handling over 40 million passengers annually.
CCTV Captures Moment of Horror
Disturbing security footage shows Vitkov lurking near the toddler, who was standing by his tiny suitcase wearing dungarees while his pregnant mother collected their pushchair from staff.
The video captures the chilling moment Vitkov glances around, apparently checking for witnesses, before suddenly lunging forward and grabbing the unsuspecting child.
He then lifts little Yazdan above his head and slams him down onto the hard airport floor with “considerable force,” according to investigators.
A bystander quickly rushed to scoop up the critically injured toddler as Vitkov was immediately detained by security.
Family’s Desperate Flight from War
The victim’s family had undertaken a tortuous journey to escape the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, fleeing through Afghanistan before arriving in Moscow seeking safety.
Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali condemned the incident as “completely inhuman,” while confusion initially arose over the child’s nationality, with Russian officials later confirming the family were Afghan refugees who had fled Iran.
The boy’s devastated mother, Hajizada Sahar, has repeatedly asked doctors if her son will recover, according to officials who described her anguish.
‘By a Miracle’ Brain Not Damaged
Dr Tatyana Shapovalenko, chief doctor at Moscow’s prestigious Roshal Children’s Centre, revealed the extent of Yazdan’s injuries: “The child was admitted with a severe craniocerebral injury. He has an open fracture of the skull bones, a fracture of the base and vault of the skull, a subdural haematoma.”
Remarkably, Mishonova said that “by a miracle” the child’s brain was not damaged, and he has now been brought out of his medically-induced coma as doctors assess his condition.
However, the toddler remains in critical condition, with medical staff working around the clock to save his life.
Father of Child Same Age
In a sickening twist, reports revealed that Vitkov himself has a daughter around the same age as his victim. The construction worker, who lives in Belarus’s Gomel region, had recently been dismissed from a nuclear power project in Egypt.
When police asked if he’d been in trouble before, Vitkov cryptically replied: “I made mistakes like that.
A female friend was reportedly “in shock” over his actions, unable to comprehend how a father could commit such violence against another person’s child.
Calls for Maximum Punishment
The Russian Investigative Committee has charged Vitkov with attempted murder of a minor, which carries severe penalties under Russian law.
Mishonova pulled no punches in her assessment: “This was a stoned drug addict, a monster. I cannot call this person anything else. I believe he is not sick at all.”
She added: “In our country, drug addiction is like a disease — it is not a disease, but this is my position. He is an absolute monster, a criminal who should be judged in the most severe manner for what he did.”
Global Outrage Over ‘Brutal and Brazen’ Attack
The incident has sparked international condemnation, with many questioning how such a brutal attack could occur in what should be a secure airport environment.
The brazen nature of the assault – carried out in full view of security cameras and potential witnesses – has raised disturbing questions about airport safety and the risks faced by vulnerable travelers, particularly refugee families fleeing conflict zones.
As little Yazdan continues his fight for life, the case has become a focal point for discussions about traveler safety, mental health screening, and the protection of displaced families seeking refuge from war.
For now, a family who fled one horror has found themselves at the center of another, their dreams of safety shattered by a drug-fueled act of senseless violence in what should have been their first moments of peace.
