VIDEO: 2-year-old Iranian boy in coma after Belarusian man slams him to floor at Moscow airport

Gulf Today

27-06-2025

A shocking incident at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Airport has left a two-year-old Iranian boy in a coma with severe injuries after he was violently assaulted by a man in the arrivals hall.
Surveillance footage shows the child, who had just arrived in Russia with his mother after fleeing bombings in Iran, calmly holding the handle of his trolley bag. Standing nearby, a man wearing a white T-shirt, shorts, and black sunglasses perched on his forehead is seen loitering with his hands in his pockets. After glancing around to see if anyone is watching, he suddenly moves toward the boy, picks him up without warning, and slams him violently onto the floor.
The toddler suffered multiple skull fractures and serious spinal injuries. He remains in a coma and is fighting for his life in hospital.
The attack took place while the boy's pregnant mother was retrieving his stroller from baggage claim. A bystander quickly rushed to help the injured child, as seen in the disturbing footage posted on X by the Iranian Embassy in India.
'A traveler at Moscow airport brutally assaulted an Iranian child, whose family had fled the Israeli aggression. The child is in a coma and has sustained life-threatening injuries,' the Iranian Embassy said in a statement.
The attacker has been identified as 31-year-old Vladimir Vitkov, a Belarusian national. Russian authorities are investigating the motive behind the assault, including the possibility of racist intent or drug influence. Vitkov was taken into custody shortly after the incident.
Police confirmed that they are conducting toxicology tests and reviewing surveillance footage to understand the circumstances surrounding the assault.