Russian Dancer Convicted in Acid Attack Returns to the Bolshoi Ballet

Dancer Pavel V. Dmitrichenko, who was convicted for an acid attack and released from prison in May, has received a building pass at the Bolshoi Ballet, the company confirmed. According to the new artistic director, Dmitrichenko goes into the building daily and works under the same roof as Sergei Filin, whom he attacked back in January 2013.

Dmitrichenko said, "I feel that I am a traveler who has returned home after a long round-the-world trip. I feel happiness and tranquillity."

Spokeswoman for the Bolshoi Ballet Company, Katya Novikova said, "But that does not mean that he will join the company later. This question is not even under discussion for now."

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Pavel V. Dmitrichenko is a Russian ballet dancer and formerly a principal dancer of the Bolshoi Theatre.

Dmitrichenko was arrested on March 5, 2013 in relation to the attack, of January 17, 2013, on the artistic director of the Bolshoi Sergei Filin. According to the police an unknown assailant doused acid on the face of Filin. On March 5 Dmitrichenko's home was searched. According to Moscow police on March 6, all three detainees wrote a confession. On December 3, 2013 Dmitrichenko was given a six year prison sentence for his role in the attack.] In March 2014 the conviction from December 2013 was canceled. The case was then reviewed. At the retrial the court refused Dmitrichenko's request to call witnesses in his defense and rendered a verdict quickly with the prosecution, resulting in a sentence of 51/2 years, six months less than the original 2013 sentence.

Photo Credit: Damir Yusupov/ Bolshoi Theatre.

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