A criminal case has been initiated concerning the alleged kidnapping of blogger Areg Shchepikhin at the Yaroslavsky railway station in Moscow. The investigation is focusing on potential charges of kidnapping and abuse of official powers.

Law enforcement agencies have detained three suspects in connection with the incident. Authorities are currently in the process of determining the appropriate preventative measures for those detained.

The incident gained widespread attention after a video surfaced on social media showing several men forcibly taking a person through the station, placing him in the trunk of a car, and driving away. In the recording, the individual being carried away is heard pleading for help and urging bystanders to contact the police.

Reports indicate that the alleged kidnapping victim, Shchepikhin, had previously posted videos online containing controversial statements directed at members of a specific ethnic group from the Caucasus region.

The Transport Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Central Federal District has confirmed that they are investigating the possibility of a kidnapping.

Concurrently, the Main Directorate for Combating Extremism has launched an investigation into Shchepikhin himself, citing “provocative statements against residents of the Chechen Republic” that he allegedly posted on social media.

Adding another layer to the situation, Akhmed Dudaev, the Minister of National Policy of the Chechen Republic, claimed that Shchepikhin was not kidnapped, but lawfully detained. Dudaev characterized Shchepikhin as a criminal who had incited ethnic hatred, promoted Nazism, insulted religion, espoused extremist views, and expressed intentions to commit acts of sexual violence against children. He asserted that law enforcement officers, coordinating with relevant departments in Moscow, were responsible for the detention.