Nine-Year-Old Girl Kidnapped in Smolensk Found in Her Captor's Apartment

A nine-year-old schoolgirl who had been reported missing in Smolensk has been returned to her parents. According to a source, the young girl is now safe and in good condition.

Her disappearance became known on February 24. According to investigators, the girl went out in the morning to walk her dog and did not return home.

Search Operation

Police officers and volunteers took part in the search for the schoolgirl. Law enforcement immediately began searching all apartments in the building's entrance. Later, neighbors said they had seen the girl allegedly being forced into a car and driven away in an unknown direction.

"The Investigative Committee checked the apartments at night, literally going through, opening all the doors and even checking balconies. The apartments they could not access were sealed,” said a neighbor of the missing girl's family.

The child was also searched for in nearby bodies of water, including Lake Soldatskoye, where people have drowned on multiple occasions.

Discovery of the Car

Volunteers later found the alleged kidnapper's car. The schoolgirl's DNA was discovered inside the vehicle.

The child was found on February 26. She was located in an apartment in one of the buildings in the Zadneprovsky district of Smolensk — just 300 meters from her parents' home. A 43-year-old man was also present in the apartment.

It is reported that the girl is in satisfactory condition and was not subjected to violence.

Suspect Detained

Police officers detained a man suspected of kidnapping the girl. It is known that he had previously received a suspended sentence in a drug-related case.

"Pursuant to Article 73 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, the sentence shall be considered suspended, with a probation period of one year,” the documents state.

According to the case materials, on May 3, 2021, the man, without intent to sell, retrieved a package containing a prohibited substance from a stash. The package was later found under a mat in his car.

The suspect has given testimony, law enforcement sources told RIA Novosti. Earlier, he had refused to do so without a lawyer.

"The perpetrator will be held accountable to the fullest extent of the law,” said Smolensk Mayor Alexander Novikov in a Telegram statement. He also thanked everyone involved in the search for the child.