British lawyer stabbed in Moscow spy row by drunk Russian | UK News

A British lawyer was stabbed by a Russian drinking partner who refused to believe he wasn’t a spy, it has been claimed.

The 41-year-old was said to have been attacked by the man with a knife leaving him with wounds on his head, face, and chest, according to Mash media outlet.

The full identity of the UK passport holder – named only as ‘Charles’ – remains unconfirmed.

He described himself as an ‘ordinary lawyer’ working in Moscow.

Pictures have now emerged of the kitchen where the attack allegedly took place as well as the suspected knife used in the brawl.

The attacker was identified by local media as Russian national Ilya Khasyanov, 37.

It is understood the two had been drinking together at Khasyanov’s flat in Moscow, and the report says there was a ‘language barrier’ and that the Russian did not believe the British man’s denial that he was a ‘spy’.

The lawyer reportedly said he worked for VISTA Foreign Business Support, but the Russian company subsequently denied he was employed here.

‘The Muscovite did not believe the [denial of espionage] and attacked the poor visitor with a knife,’ said the Mash report.

‘Result – Charles was wounded in the head, face and chest.

‌’And the Moscow Investigative Committee opened a case of attempted murder against the brawler.’

The attack was in a flat in Kuskovskaya Street, some ten miles east of the Kremlin.

The British embassy in Moscow has been contacted for comment on the reports in the Russian media.

Amid the war launched by Moscow against Ukraine, the UK Foreign Office [FCDO] ‘advises British nationals against all travel to Russia due to the risks and threats from its continuing invasion of Ukraine’.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.

‌

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.