Overview

• The 18-month-old boy remains in a coma with skull fractures and spinal injuries after being thrown to the floor in Sheremetyevo Airport’s arrivals hall.
• Belarusian national Vladimir Vitkov, 31, was arrested at the scene and has been charged with attempted murder.
• Investigators found traces of cannabis in Vitkov’s blood and are examining whether his drug intoxication or a racial motive spurred the attack.
• The victim and his pregnant mother had fled Iran via Afghanistan before arriving in Moscow earlier on June 23, and the assault occurred as she collected their pushchair.
• Moscow Region Children’s Ombudswoman Ksenia Mishonova condemned the act as a “drug-addled” crime and urged that Vitkov face the full severity of the law.