Abducted, Robbed and Rescued: Anatomy of a Moscow Kidnapping

A high profile kidnapping that targeted two local Moscow businessmen in July has raised concerns about the threat of kidnap for random in the capital. Specifically, there are concerns around a shift in the modus operandi of kidnapping gangs in the region given the relatively brazen nature of this latest incident. 

In July, a group of five North Caucasian men allegedly kidnapped two local businesspeople from Shchelkovo, approximately 27km from Moscow’s city centre. The kidnappers stole the victims’ luxury items and two high-end vehicles during the course of the attack, and demanded approximately USD 150,000 in ransom to secure their release. The suspects were later captured and detained by special forces operatives who recovered several automatic weapons, advanced jamming technology, forged identification documents, and a number of bladed weapons during a search of one of the suspects’ residences.

In this particular case, the size of the ransom, and its means of delivery, deviate from what has typically accompanied kidnapping attacks targeting victims of a similar profile in the past. Although USD 150,000 is not a large ransom in absolute terms, it is a sizeable ransom demand in comparison with other kidnap for ransom incidents in the country. While ransom demands have varied dependent on the relative wealth of the victim, demands have historically rarely exceeded USD 100,000.

Furthermore, typically, when large ransoms are demanded, perpetrators have sought to receive payment in the form of cryptocurrency, especially Bitcoin, to avoid detection. What has made this case different is that the perpetrators were brazen in their approach. Not only did they demand a USD 150,000 in the form of an electronic transfer, they also shot one of the victims in the leg and forced them into revealing the passwords for their bank cards, and stole both of their luxury vehicles.

However, although the Shchelkovo kidnapping incident differs from other kidnap for ransom cases in the area, the incident is likely more of an outlier than representative of a definite shift in the modus operandi of kidnap for ransom groups targeting businesspeople in Moscow. Both the victim type – wealthy businesspeople – and the advanced jamming technology used by the perpetrators to prevent the victims from being able to lock their vehicles, is in line with past kidnapping tactics deployed in the capital.

Nevertheless, kidnapping incidents in Russia overall have been declining. According to the latest available statistics produced by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, between 2012 and 2015, the kidnapping rate per 100,000 people in the country declined year- on year and has likely continued to do so. This follows the introduction of a police reform programme initiated in 2011 by then-President Dimitri Medvedev. As part of this initiative, the police force was streamlined, salaries increased by 30 percent, and an anti-corruption drive was launched to eliminate rampant corruption within the police and armed forces. These measures have likely reduced the high levels of collusion between police and kidnappers and served to increase kidnap response capabilities, to a degree. The relatively swift arrest of the perpetrators involved in the July kidnapping case further supports that law enforcement have increased their capabilities to counter kidnap for ransom incidents in the capital.