Bolshoi soloist Dmitrichenko on trial for acid attack
Sulfuric acid was heaved in the face of Bolshoi Theater artistic director Sergei Filin as he attempted to enter his home in January 2013. As a result of the assault, Filin suffered third degree burns to his face and eyes. In March the Interior Ministry announced the arrests of the alleged perpetrators of the attack. The leading Bolshoi dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko was one of them.
Bolshoi Ballet leading soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko, accused of masterminding an acid attack that left Bolshoi Artistic Director Sergei Filin with third degree burns to his face and eyes, pleaded not guilty.
The alleged attacker Yury Zarutsky (front) and the alleged mastermind Dmitrichenko (right) escorted to the hearing at the Meschansky District Court of Moscow.
Filin returned to Moscow last September after six months of treatment in a German hospital. He has undergone more than 20 eye surgeries, and German doctors said that Filin's eyesight had improved significantly. After losing over 90 percent of his vision in his left eye and becoming totally blind in his right eye, Filin now has 80 percent of his left eye vision restored and can distinguish big objects with his right eye.
Three men were arrested in March in connection with the attack, including Dmitrichenko, the alleged attacker Yury Zarutsky and driver Andrei Lipatov (photo). All of them face 12 years in prison if convicted.
Filin suggested that the aim of the attack may have been to remove him from his position as artistic director and to destroy the prestigious Moscow ballet company's reputation.
