ST. PETERSBURG — Russian authorities have arrested five suspects linked to an attempted kidnapping of Zenit St. Petersburg midfielder Andrei Mostovoy and a subsequent ransom abduction of a local businessman. The suspects reportedly demanded millions of rubles before being tracked down and detained by police.
Kidnapping Attempt on Zenit Midfielder Andrei Mostovoy
Investigators revealed that a masked group tried to abduct 27-year-old Andrei Mostovoy last Thursday outside an upscale grocery store. The footballer managed to escape and immediately alerted law enforcement, preventing the kidnapping.
Two days later, the same suspects allegedly targeted Sergei Selegen, a local construction firm owner and son-in-law of lawmaker Vyacheslav Makarov. The group demanded a 10 million ruble ransom, forcing Selegen to transfer 210,000 rubles at gunpoint before being rescued.
Police Investigation and Suspect Arrests
Authorities tracked the suspects using a Toyota Land Cruiser, detaining four individuals at the scene. A fifth suspect was later apprehended, claiming he thought the plot was a “birthday prank.” Other suspects told interrogators they had been recruited via an anonymous Telegram channel, promised half the ransom, and misled into believing the target was a drug dealer.
Charges under consideration include kidnapping, robbery, and attempted kidnapping, with a court expected to rule soon on pretrial detention.
Zenit Midfielder Reacts
In a video interview released by Zenit, Mostovoy described the incident as “shocking” and revealed he barely slept following the ordeal, initially keeping the matter from his family. He later thanked fans for their support in a message posted on the club’s social media platforms.