Russian authorities have apprehended several individuals suspected of trying to kidnap Andrei Mostovoy, a midfielder for Zenit St. Petersburg, as well as later abducting a local businessman for ransom, law enforcement officials reported on Monday.
Local news outlets reported that a masked gang attempted to seize Mostovoy outside a high-end grocery store last Thursday, but he was able to escape and notify the police.
Two days later, on Saturday, the same group is accused of kidnapping Sergei Selegen, the founder of a construction company and son-in-law of State Duma member Vyacheslav Makarov. The assailants allegedly handcuffed the 50-year-old Selegen and demanded a ransom of 10 million rubles (approximately $126,200). Under threat, Selegen was forced to transfer 210,000 rubles (about $2,650).
Authorities tracked down the suspects’ Toyota Land Cruiser, successfully rescued the victim, and arrested four individuals.
Later the same day, a fifth suspect was detained. During questioning, he claimed that he was led to believe the operation was merely a “birthday prank” and that he was unaware of the identities of the others involved.
Some of the suspects mentioned they were recruited through an anonymous Telegram channel, promised half of the ransom as their reward, and were misled into thinking they were “punishing drug dealers.”
A video released by the Interior Ministry featured one of the suspects stating that the alleged mastermind of the operation was “not from Russia.” Authorities have not yet verified the identity or location of the individual believed to be behind the kidnappings.
Neither the Interior Ministry nor the Investigative Committee has released the names of the victims.
The Investigative Committee, which is responsible for investigating serious offenses, announced that the suspects are facing charges that include kidnapping, robbery, and attempted kidnapping. A court will soon determine their pretrial detention status.
On Tuesday, Mostovoy broke his silence in a video interview shared by Zenit’s press service with the Fontanka news agency.
“I was astonished that such things can still happen today… I hardly slept,” the footballer remarked during the interview conducted on a training field.
He revealed that he kept the incident from his family and teammates and only contacted the club’s security team the morning following his attempted kidnapping. The 27-year-old added that he maintained communication with a friend throughout the night, who was aware of the situation.
On Tuesday afternoon, Zenit released a brief video message on its social media platforms in which Mostovoy expressed gratitude to fans and teammates for their support.
