Russian authorities are investigating videos made by blogger Areg Shchepikhin following his alleged abduction in Moscow. The Main Directorate for Combating Extremism of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs is analyzing Shchepikhin’s publications for potentially inflammatory content.

The investigation was publicly announced on June 4th through the official channels of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs. The Ministry stated that Shchepikhin’s videos contained provocative statements concerning residents of the Chechen Republic.

Prior to the announcement, videos circulated on social media showing men in suits carrying Shchepikhin from the Yaroslavsky railway station. The footage depicted the men carrying him by his limbs and placing him in the trunk of a black car with a flashing light. Shchepikhin, in the video, urged bystanders to contact the police, claiming his captors were not law enforcement officers.

The metropolitan transport police responded to the video by initiating an inspection. Citing publications on social networks about illegal actions, they launched their own inquiry. TASS news agency, referencing law enforcement sources, reported that police had opened a kidnapping investigation.

Contradicting the reports of abduction, Akhmed Dudaev, the Minister of the Chechen Republic for National Policy, stated that Shchepikhin was detained, not kidnapped. Dudaev said that the Chechen Ministry of Internal Affairs is investigating Shchepikhin for allegedly insulting religious feelings and inciting hatred based on nationality. The minister further accused the blogger of promoting extremist views, calling for ethnic cleansing, and making statements suggesting intent to commit sexual assault.

The Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs later confirmed that six individuals involved in the events at the Yaroslavsky railway station were detained on the evening of June 3 for further investigation.