Top Russian Official Hospitalized Following Stabbing Attack

Andrey Chibis, the Governor of Russia’s Murmansk Region, became the victim of a stabbing attack on Thursday evening.

The incident occurred in the town of Apatity, following a town hall meeting that Chibis had with local residents, as reported by RT and local authorities.

The attack took place near the entrance of a cultural center in Apatity, a mining town situated on the Kola Peninsula, approximately 185km from Murmansk, the regional capital. According to the governor’s office, the assailant attacked without warning, neither making demands nor shouting slogans before being detained by an officer from the Russian National Guard.

The attacker, tentatively identified by the Telegram channel Baza as Aleksandr Bidanov, a 43-year-old local, was taken into custody. The reasons behind this violent act remain unclear.

Governor Chibis suffered a stab wound to his abdomen. Remarkably, he managed to walk to his vehicle unassisted before being taken to Apatity-Kirov Central City Hospital for emergency surgery.

The town hall meeting, announced by Chibis just two days prior, drew an audience of over 300 individuals, including activists and entrepreneurs. Chibis, who took office as the governor in September 2019, previously served as a deputy construction minister and housing inspector. He is affiliated with the ruling United Russia party.