A Russian construction tycoon has been arrested after a model suffered life-threatening head injuries that required emergency brain surgery. Dmitry Kuzmin, 42, is charged with causing serious bodily harm to Anzhelika Tartanova, 33, after she sought to end their six-month relationship.
Friends described Kuzmin as controlling and jealous, saying he showered Tartanova with gifts but treated her like a doll and banned her from seeing her 16-year-old son and sister. The model was allegedly beaten after telling Kuzmin she wanted to leave him.
Tartanova was initially reported missing on November 28 before being found on December 9 at a Moscow hospital, where she spent two weeks in intensive care. She remains in critical condition after undergoing a craniotomy. Kuzmin is accused of throwing her onto the street with serious head wounds; a passerby called an ambulance. He allegedly sent messages from her phone to friends for a week, claiming she was fine.
Kuzmin appeared in a court cage as he was arrested pending further investigations. Tartanova, an actress and former tanning-parlour owner, recently moved to Moscow after a divorce. She is conscious but barely able to speak.
