The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Chechnya is currently investigating blogger and businessman Areg Shchepikhin following his detention at the Yaroslavsky railway station in Moscow. The announcement was made by Akhmed Dudaev, Minister of the Chechen Republic for National Policy.

According to Dudaev, the investigation is focused on alleged public actions insulting religious feelings and aimed at humiliating the dignity of a group of persons based on nationality.

Dudaev refuted claims of a kidnapping, stating that Shchepikhin was detained by law enforcement officers in cooperation with Moscow departments. He also referred to Shchepikhin as a criminal in his Telegram channel post.

Initial reports described an incident at the railway station where several men in suits were seen forcibly dragging a man into a car. Eyewitness accounts mentioned a black Mercedes with a blue flashing light. TASS reported that police had launched an investigation into a kidnapping, seeking to identify the perpetrators and the motive.