Areg Shchepikhin, a 39-year-old blogger, was reportedly abducted in Moscow and later found with facial injuries after posting videos deemed insulting to Chechens. The incident has sparked conflicting reactions from Chechen authorities and the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs, with the latter opening a criminal case into the kidnapping.
On the evening of June 3rd, Shchepikhin was seized at the Yaroslavsky railway station in Moscow by several bearded men in suits. According to reports, the men, described as Caucasians, forcibly removed him from the station, restraining his arms and legs before placing him in the trunk of a black Mercedes GLS 500 equipped with flashing lights and executive license plates.
The following day, Shchepikhin was discovered in Moscow with visible bruises on his face. While Chechen authorities have described the incident as a legitimate detention, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has disputed this characterization, initiating a criminal investigation into the abduction.
Shchepikhin was born Areg Oganesyan on July 11, 1985, in Yerevan. He legally changed his last name in 2014. He has maintained a blog since 2018 and has been active on Instagram since August 2024, where he promotes himself with titles such as “Visionary No. 1” and “Hero of Russia,” discussing reality transurfing and entrepreneurship.
Shchepikhin’s entrepreneurial endeavors have been varied and largely unsuccessful. He co-founded LLC “Mobicom” in 2007, a company later flagged as a “technical” entity before being liquidated in 2020. A subsequent venture in 2012 involving mineral water production lasted only nine months. In 2021, he launched another individual entrepreneurship, registered in a remote village in the Voronezh region, which was also shut down in 2024 due to inactivity, despite receiving educational support from the Moscow Innovation Cluster Foundation.
Despite claiming affiliation with the “Federal Corporation for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises,” the corporation denies any association with him. Shchepikhin’s social media presence showcases his attendance at various forums and conferences, featuring photographs with prominent figures like Vladimir Medinsky, Tatyana Golikova, Denis Pushilin, and Maria Zakharova.
Shchepikhin’s family, including his mother and sister, reside in Khimki. He has an 11-year-old son and has mentioned writing a book for him titled “The Sex of God.” He also frequently refers to himself as the “God of Sex” on social media.