18-Month-Old Boy in Coma After Tourist Throws Him Head-First to the Ground at Moscow Airport (video)

An 18-month-old boy is in a coma with critical skull fractures and spinal injuries after a shocking and unprovoked attack by a tourist at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow. The horrifying incident, caught on airport surveillance footage, occurred late Monday night in the arrivals area of Russia’s busiest airport.

The attacker, identified as 31-year-old Vladimir Vitkov from Belarus, was seen observing the child — who had just arrived in Russia with his pregnant mother — before suddenly picking him up and slamming him head-first onto the floor. The child had been standing next to a suitcase while his mother collected his pushchair.

Eyewitnesses rushed to help as the child lay gravely injured. The toddler was swiftly transported to a medical facility, where he remains in a coma. Doctors confirmed he suffered multiple skull fractures and severe spinal trauma.

Authorities say the boy and his mother had recently fled Iran, traveling through Afghanistan before arriving in Russia. The motive for the brutal assault is still under investigation, but officials are examining the possibility of a hate crime or drug-induced violence.

Moscow Region Children’s Ombudswoman Ksenia Mishonova described the attacker as a "drug-addled monster," expressing horror and grief over the incident. “A monster grabbed a toddler in the arrivals hall and threw him to the floor with all his might. This is incredibly difficult to bear. I hope the detained individual faces the full extent of the law,” Mishonova said.

The suspect was immediately detained by airport security and taken into police custody. Initial reports from the Russian Investigative Committee indicate traces of cannabis were found in his blood, and drugs were discovered in his possession. He was reportedly incoherent during questioning and unable to explain his actions.

Vitkov, who reportedly has a daughter the same age as the victim, had arrived in Moscow from either Cyprus or Egypt. A female companion traveling with him was said to be in shock over the assault.

A criminal case has been opened against Vitkov on charges of attempted murder. The Russian Investigative Committee released a statement confirming the details of the attack and emphasizing that eyewitnesses helped stop further violence. "A man, while in the airport arrivals area in a state of drug intoxication, grabbed a child and, lifting him, threw him to the floor with considerable force," the committee said.

Sheremetyevo International Airport, one of the busiest hubs in Europe, handles more than 40 million passengers and over 300,000 flights annually. The violent attack has prompted widespread outrage and renewed calls for tighter airport security and mental health screenings.