Champion of Russia among juniors 16-year-old Alina Gorbacheva scared the whole country. The athlete's mother reported her missing after training at the Chkalov Arena rink in Moscow. The Investigative Committee even opened a criminal case under the article «murder», but a miracle happened. Surveillance cameras recorded that the skater entered the cafe after information about the disappearance. And later they found her completely unharmed.
How it all beganThe story of the disappearance of the talented Alina Gorbacheva has become the main topic of the day in Russia, and not only in sports. Literally the whole country followed the news feed with anxiety, hoping that everything would be all right with the athlete. Although the messages came one more disturbing than the other. The young figure skater finished training around 7 pm the night before and walked towards home, choosing a route through the park.
And then the girl just vanished. The cameras show how she enters the park, but does not show how she leaves. The mother of the athlete Ekaterina, in a conversation with for the first time, spoke about the disappearance of her daughter, while admitting that “a lot of time has already passed”. The Investigative Committee of Russia immediately joined the case.
The press service of the organization said that an operational check was organized into the fact of the disappearance. Soon, the LizaAlert search team on the official website announced a gathering of volunteers to search for the missing figure skater.
«»Gorbacheva Alina Dmitrievna. Search gathering. Since August 28, 2023, her whereabouts are unknown. Collection place: expected. Collection time: from 16.45. Dress code: city,» the squad's announcement reads.
Even the Russian ice dancing champion Elizaveta Khudaiberdiyeva joined the process, and the 2020 European champion Alena Kostornaya on social networks urged everyone to believe in the best. Later, information was received that the Investigative Committee opened a criminal case on the grounds of a crime under Part 1 of Art. 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (murder) to establish all the circumstances of the disappearance of the figure skater.
Rescue and harsh criticism of MedvedevaIn parallel, divers began work in the Moscow River in the north-west of the capital — at the site of the possible loss of the figure skater. Searches on the water with the help of a boat continued for several hours, after which the divers decided to interrupt them, not finding anything. Detachments in the park also failed to find traces of Gorbacheva's disappearance. There was conflicting information that the things of the athlete were found, but they were quickly refuted.
In such situations, people often prepare for the worst, but in the case of Gorbacheva, there is a good chance that everything worked out. The Telegram channel of the Moscow prosecutor's office published a video from the camera of one of the cafes on Volokolamskoye Highway, where it is clearly seen that the figure skater is alive and, apparently, healthy. Establishing the location of the girl is under control in the Moscow prosecutor's office,» the message says.
Later, the cashier of the establishment confirmed that Gorbachev was indeed in the cafe and was alone in the room. A security guard at a nearby church said he saw the figure skater walking past the building. The search for the champion of Russia among juniors continued and subsequently crowned with success. The girl was found in a shopping center, but the reasons for her disappearance have yet to be clarified.
But two-time world champion Evgenia Medvedeva spoke rather harshly about the missing Gorbacheva, noting that she was old enough to answer for her actions.
“Although a person looks 12 years old, she is already 16. At this age, a person should already be responsible for himself and for his actions. Anyway, as a person who was constantly in sports, I don’t understand the situation, how you can let a person at the age of 16, although she looks like 12, take it and go to the park somewhere.Specifically, as it was for me (I also look much younger than my age), so here’s my mother, or grandmother at that time, from at home for training, from training for shkirjatnik (conditionally, without tin) — to the car and home. Constantly: where are you, what are you, some kind of observation. Because, firstly, this is a sport, and, secondly, this child,» Medvedev said on social networks.