The head of the Volna Central Research Institute, Vladimir Arsenyev, set himself ablaze on Red Square in a dramatic act that shocked the Russian capital. Arsenyev, who develops communication systems for the Russian military, was seen dousing himself with a flammable substance before igniting in flames.
Police quickly intervened, extinguishing the fire and taking Arsenyev in for questioning. The incident follows a legal dispute where Arsenyev was accused by the state defense conglomerate Rostec of breaching state contracts; however, an investigation by the Federal Security Service did not find any wrongdoing.
Moskovsky Komsomolets reported that Arsenyev, 74, suffered minor burns and previously filed a defamation lawsuit. It remains unclear whether the act was a protest or an act of self-harm.
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