A Bolshoi star dancer has been sentenced to six years in prison over an acid attack on the ballet’s director that exposed vicious backstage bickering and intrigue at the renowned theatre.
The judge pronounced Bolshoi soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko guilty of making plans to attack Sergei Filin. Ex-convict Yuri Zarutsky, who splashed the acid in Mr. Filin’s face on January 17, 2013 was sentenced to 10 years; a driver, Andrei Lipatov, got four years.
The dancer had pleaded not guilty but admitted “moral responsibility” because he spoke badly of Mr. Filin in front of Mr. Zarutsky. Mr. Filin lost most of the sight in one eye and 20 per cent in the other.
Prosecutors had sought a nine-year sentence for Dmitrichenko.
