A Russian journalist was in a “critical situation” after an unknown assailant on Monday compelled his approach into the places of work of a radio station important of the Kremlin and stabbed her within the neck.
Tatyana Felgengauer, a 32-year-old presenter for Echo of Moscow, was attacked after the suspect entered the radio station’s constructing in central Moscow and blinded the safety guard with a twig, editor-in-chief Alexei Venediktov stated.
“He then got here with a knife and stabbed Tanya,” Venediktov advised reporters. “There was a variety of blood and she or he was in shock,” the editor stated, including that the attacker, who was overpowered by a safety guard, had gave the impression to be aiming at her.
“He knew the place he was going and he knew who he was going to. We’re all shocked.” Ida Sharapova, one other worker on the radio station, stated the suspect grabbed Felgengauer earlier than he stabbed her. “At first I assumed he knew her,” she advised reporters.
The Investigative Committee, which probes critical crimes, stated it has opened a prison case in opposition to a 48-year-old man on suspicion of tried homicide.
Citing preliminary info, Moscow police stated the attacker was pushed by “private animosity” and that he was a “citizen of a international nation.”
Ready for operation
Venediktov stated he was advised “there was no menace to life however she is in a critical situation,” including that Felgengauer had been in a position to get out of the constructing on her personal two ft.
“We’re ready to seek out out what’s going to occur after an operation,” he added.
He additionally stated that two extra individuals had been harm: the safety guard downstairs who had the substance thrown at his face and one other guard upstairs who was in a position to pin the attacker down.
Radio station worker Vitaly Ruvinsky posted on Twitter a photograph of the dishevelled man wearing a black jacket and trousers seated in a chair. Police officer Yury Titov stated the suspect tried to cover within the constructing after he stabbed the journalist however was discovered by the safety guards.
Venediktov stated the person had a drawing of the workplace plan. “He had a plan of the workplace with names of rooms in English, I noticed it with my very own eyes,” he added.
Guard Aleksandr Usachyov, who had overpowered the person, additionally stated the person gave the impression to be focusing on Felgengauer. “I grabbed his knife and pinned him to the ground,” he stated.
Assaults on journalists
Felgengauer is among the radio station’s deputy editors and a longtime presenter of a morning information programme. She can also be actively concerned in opposition rallies and has 1000’s of followers on her public Fb web page.
The Echo of Moscow radio has been the mouthpiece of the nation’s liberal opposition because the Soviet period, with its editorial coverage regularly placing it on political skinny ice.
The media outlet was based throughout the perestroika period because the Soviet Union’s first impartial radio, occurring air for the primary time on August 22, 1990.
Since then the Echo of Moscow has come a good distance, changing into one of many top-cited media in Russia and by far the preferred speak radio station, with broadcasting in lots of the nation’s areas.
It’s majority owned by Gazprom Media, the media arm of Russian pure gasoline large Gazprom.
Russia has a disturbing report of assaults on journalists, with 58 killed since 1992, in accordance with the Committee to Shield Journalists. Threats made in opposition to journalists typically go unaddressed and assaults should not investigated.
One other Echo of Moscow presenter Yulia Latynina this yr left Russia after a collection of assaults on her automotive and residential.