A senior Kremlin censorship official has died after being stabbed by a teenage boy, with Russia’s security services rapidly suppressing all public information about the killing.
Alexei Belyaev, a high-ranking censor at Roskomnadzor, the state agency overseeing Russia’s internet restrictions, was knifed in the chest on January 19 at the entrance of the watchdog’s headquarters, located minutes from the Kremlin.
The 16-year-old suspect, known only as Artem, allegedly killed Belyaev at the scene.
The FSB moved swiftly to impose a complete media blackout, with the case now fully classified and Russian authorities refusing to publicly acknowledge the death.
Investigators are said to believe the teenager harboured deep resentment towards Belyaev’s work suppressing online content and had meticulously prepared the attack over several weeks.
Artem allegedly checked out of the Roskomnadzor building during December, observing the entrance area before returning armed with a knife in January.
The incident only emerged publicly after the boy’s mother reportedly published an online appeal seeking legal representation for her son, a post that was subsequently removed.
Authorities have opened a criminal investigation under Russia’s most severe murder statute, which covers killings driven by political or ideological hatred.
The stabbing is said to have taken place at the entrance of the Roskomnadzor building
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WIKI
Belyaev held the position of deputy department head from 2021, with specific responsibility for blocking websites deemed threatening to the Russian government, including Western platforms such as X and YouTube.
His efforts to secure communications during elections earned him an official commendation from Vladimir Putin in 2017.
Despite occupying a senior position within a major state agency, Belyaev reportedly supplemented his income by working as a taxi driver, as his monthly salary of approximately £1,400 proved insufficient for life in the Russian capital.
Roskomnadzor serves as the Kremlin’s primary tool for digital repression, throttling internet traffic and enforcing widespread online censorship across the country.
The Vladimir Putin ally’s death has been covered up in Russia
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GETTYThe agency has played a central role in blocking access to information critical of the Russian government.
No trace of any criminal proceedings or arrest appears on Moscow court websites, despite the gravity of the alleged offence at a major government facility.
State media and pro-Kremlin outlets were instructed not to publish any information about Belyaev on the day of the killing, according to independent Russian outlet Meduza.
However, official records indicate Belyaev’s identity documents and tax number were invalidated on 19 January, a procedure typically carried out when a death is formally registered.
