The artistic director of Russia's famed Bolshoi Ballet troupe was injured in an acid attack late Thursday by an unknown assailant.
A spokeswoman for the Bolshoi told reporters Sergei Filin suffered severe burns to his face and eyes after a masked attacker splashed concentrated acid on him as he approached his home late at night.
The spokeswoman said Filin is in a Moscow hospital where doctors are trying to save his eyesight.
This is the most severe of a string of attacks on Filin, a former Bolshoi dancer who won the coveted job of artistic director in 2011. In recent months, he has received threatening phone calls, the tires of his car have been punctured, and his social media accounts have been hacked.
Investigators say the attacks could be linked to internal politics at the Bolshoi.