A 16-year-old boy allegedly stabbed a high-ranking associate of Russian President Vladimir Putin in a heavily secured government building in downtown Moscow. The victim, Alexei Belyaev, a senior Kremlin official overseeing internet censorship, was fatally stabbed in the chest on January 19.
Belyaev held a significant role at Roskomnadzor, the agency responsible for enforcing Putin’s internet censorship policies. He specifically managed the blocking of social media platforms like Twitter and YouTube, as well as other Western websites viewed as threats to the regime.
The attack took place near the Kremlin, inside Roskomnadzor’s main office. The teenager reportedly roamed the building with a knife just a month prior to the incident.
Despite the event, Russian authorities have not acknowledged the death publicly, with reports suggesting a media blackout enforced by the FSB security service. Investigations by a Russian Telegram channel linked to security services revealed that the stabbing was motivated by the boy’s disdain for the agency’s censorship practices.
Reports indicate that a murder case driven by political or ideological hatred has been initiated, although there is no public record of the case. The incident came to light when the boy’s mother sought legal assistance after his arrest for murder, a post that was later removed.
The teen’s school confirmed his absence following January 19, with the FSB allegedly concealing and censoring the case. Belyaev’s official documents were invalidated on the same day, a common procedure after a registered death.
Independent media sources were instructed not to report on Belyaev’s death. While his commendation by President Putin in 2017 was noted, it was revealed that Belyaev worked as a part-time taxi driver due to financial struggles on his modest monthly salary.
Russian authorities have chosen not to provide any comments on the incident.
