Pavel Dmitrichenko and two other men admit to attack on Sergei Filin.

Principal dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko has confessed to the acid attack in January Moscow on the Bolshoi’s Artistic Director Sergei Filin. Moscow police broke the information and the dancer, who looked tired and shaken, confirmed his guilt in a video statement (shown below). “Yes, I organised this attack, but not to the extent that it occurred,” he said.

Dmitrichenko was held and questioned on Tuesday according to police. Two other men, Yury Zarutsky, believed to be the assailant, and Andrei Lipatov, the suspected getaway driver, were also detained. They have also confessed according to the police report.

The highly publicised acid attack, perpetrated by a masked assailant, took place in the street outside Filin’s apartment and left him with serious burns to eyes and face. He has had five operations in Russia as well as trips to Germany for emergency treatment in an attempt to fully restore his sight. Filin has stated that he is “absolutely certain” that he knows who was behind the assault but that he will not name names until the authorities have completed their investigations. So far he has not issued any further statement although,...