Bolshoi Theater director Sergei Filin, who last week suffered acid burns in an attack outside his apartment building, has undergone a successful plastic surgery on his face, Interfax reported Tuesday, citing the city's health department.
An unknown attacker splashed acid in Filin's face late Thursday and fled. Filin connected the attack with his work at the theater, but no suspects have been named.
As the theater's arts director for ballet, Filin has been choosing the repertoire and hiring and dismissing dancers. The attack could leave him partially blind.
It will take Filin at least six months to recover. He has appointed the theater's former principal dancer, Galina Stepanenko, as a temporary replacement, RIA-Novosti reported.
Since Filin, 42, was named director in March 2011, three leading dancers — Ivan Vasilyev, Natalya Osipova and Andrei Uvarov — have moved to other theaters.
Police said Tuesday that another artist from the Bolshoi Theater was attacked several days before the acid attack on Filin.
"On Jan. 11, near the Petrovsko-Razumovskaya metro station, unknown individuals provoked an argument with an extra from the Bolshoi Theater, Yevgeny Kulesh, after which they beat him up, took his phone and wallet, and ran off," a source in the police department told Interfax.
Kulesh was subsequently hospitalized with wounds of varying severity. His attack has not been linked to the one on Filin.
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