A harrowing incident at Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport has sparked international outrage after a Belarusian tourist was caught on camera violently slamming an 18-month-old child onto the floor, leaving him in a coma with severe skull and spinal injuries.
The shocking attack has shaken the public and raised disturbing questions about motive, mental state and the safety of vulnerable travellers in supposedly secure spaces.
Brutal Attack Captured on Video
Footage from the airport's arrivals hall shows 31-year-old Vladimir Vitkov lurking near the toddler, who had just arrived in Russia with his pregnant mother after fleeing the ongoing war in Iran. Without warning, Vitkov is seen glancing around, apparently checking for witnesses, before grabbing the unsuspecting child and throwing him headfirst onto the floor with extreme force.
A bystander quickly scooped up the critically injured toddler, who was later hospitalised with a fractured skull and spinal trauma. The horrifying incident unfolded while the child's mother was collecting his pushchair nearby.
Authorities are investigating whether the act was racially motivated or triggered by other factors.
Escape From War Ends in Violence
According to local reports, the child and his mother had fled Iran via Afghanistan, only to face unthinkable violence upon arrival in Russia. The Daily Mail reported that Vitkov had flown to Moscow from either Cyprus or Egypt and was swiftly arrested at the scene. Officials suspect drug intoxication may have played a role in the attack.
Suspect Branded a 'Monster'
Ksenia Mishonova, the Moscow Region Children's Ombudswoman, issued a scathing statement: 'A drug-addled monster grabbed a toddler in the arrivals hall and threw him on the floor with all his might. All this is incredibly difficult to bear.'
She added: 'I hope the detained monster will receive the full severity of the law. I wish the child a speedy recovery. May the parents have the strength to survive this.'
According to the Russian Investigative Committee, traces of cannabis were found in Vitkov's bloodstream, and additional drugs were reportedly discovered on his person. During police questioning, Vitkov admitted to past trouble with the law, replying vaguely, 'I made mistakes like that.'
Shockingly, Vitkov is said to have a daughter around the same age as the injured child. A female friend travelling with him was left 'in shock' by his alleged actions.
Suspect Faces Attempted Murder Charge
Vitkov is currently being investigated for attempted murder. In an official statement, the committee noted: 'A man, while in the airport arrivals area in a state of drug intoxication, grabbed a child and, lifting him, threw him to the floor with considerable force. The boy was hospitalised in a medical facility for assistance. The man's criminal actions were stopped by eyewitnesses of the incident.'
The assault occurred just before midnight in Sheremetyevo's departure lounge. The airport is Russia's busiest, handling more than 40 million passengers and over 300,000 flights annually.
The brazen and brutal nature of the attack has left many stunned, demanding justice and answers. As the child continues to fight for his life, global attention is now focused on the Russian authorities' next steps—and whether this horrifying act will lead to broader conversations around traveller safety, mental health, and the risks faced by displaced families fleeing war.
