Bolshoi Ballet’s acid attack victim heads to Germany for treatment

Sergei Filin, the artistic director of Moscow’s Bolshoi Ballet, is traveling to Germany to receive treatment for his injuries sustained from being attacked with acid in January.

Filin has said in recent interviews with the BBC News and the New York Times that he is “absolutely certain” he knows who attacked him and that he believes he may have been targeted by a group of people who wanted to replace the theater’s leadership.

The acid attack occurred Jan. 17 as Filin was leaving his Moscow home. An assailant threw sulfuric acid in his face, causing severe facial injuries and damage to his sight.

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Filin, 42, is expected to receive eye treatment in Germany. He left a Moscow hospital on Monday and spoke to reporters. He described his vision as “foggy and blurred,” according to the BBC News.

The Bolshoi Ballet is the largest ballet company in the world and one of the most prestigious.

Filin told the New York Times that he knows who is behind the attack but declined to name names in light of the ongoing investigation. He said that there has been a power struggle at the ballet company and that he believes his recent attack was a continuation of that.

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