On January 18, an anonymous man splashed acid in the face of  Sergei Filin, the artistic director of the Bolshoi Ballet troupe. Filin was hospitalized to the burn unit of City hospital No. 36. As the press office of Department of Public Health Service Ministry informed ITAR TASS, the injury left Filin severely wounded with multiple degrees facial and corneal burns.

“Filin suffered penetrating burns. The chemical composition of acid thrown into his face is being analyzed,” – the department said. “The Board of Doctors will define the strategy of further treatment of the patient”, – the representative of the department added.

According to newspaper “Izvestia,” – Yekaterina Novikova, the theater’s spokeswoman, said that the theatre believes that it could be the case of crime for hire:

“We fear that there are certain persons that could potentially benefit from this case. However, we wish we had substantiated, proven claims. It’s insulting when such disgusting crimes remain unpunished. We shall be hunting after those offended by the theater, among those interested in discrediting the ballet troupe and the Bolshoi theater at large, both inside and outside the institution. We shall be on the look out for those attempting to appoint their protégés in the theater,” – the theater’s press secretary said.

Filin himself has yet to comment.