Russian Doctor: Video Of Fatal Punch By Physician Furthers Debate On Cover-Up Culture
A disturbing video posted online shows a Russian doctor repeatedly punching a man who later died. The Russian physician was fired from his position at the medical facility, and the deadly incident is under investigation. Further, the footage of the man punching the patient to death highlights the ongoing debate over widespread alleged cover-up of state-run medicine, according to a January 9 Telegraph report.
Warning: The video of the Russian doctor attacking two men may be disturbing to watch.
The scene begins in an examination room while a shirtless man, identified as 56-year-old Yevgeny Bakhtin, is being examined by nurses. A friend dressed in dark clothing and a hoodie jacket is seen standing in the doorway. Sources say the hospital is located in the city of Belgorod. It is located 440 miles due south of Moscow.
Next, a surgeon, identified as Dr. Ilya Zelendinov (dressed in blue and white scrubs), enters the room and begins addressing the man in Russian. Reportedly, the doctor was angry and confronted Bakhtin over allegations that he assaulted a nurse earlier during the visit. The video shows Dr. Zelendinov yelling before he grabs the man and pushes him through a doorway out of view of the camera, as nurses scurry, according to the Inquirer.
“Why did you touch the nurse?”
Meanwhile, the patient’s companion intervenes and is dealt a series of blows by the doctor. He pelts the jacketed man until he falls helplessly on the floor. Moments later, the patient returns into view of the camera. The raging doctor turns to him and floors him with a single punch to the neck or side of the head. Bakhtin falls backwards and the sound of a crash is heard. His lower quarters are seen — motionless in the recording.
CCTV footage of Russian doctor punching patient who collapsed and died goes viral https://t.co/qnTSEHIo6b
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) January 9, 2016
The doctor returns to the man’s friend and continues the assault. When Zelendinov’s had enough, he and the nurses leave the room, and the other man is given a towel or gauze to tend to his facial wounds. Minutes go by, and the attention returns to the man’s lifeless body. The surgeon begins CPR for an extended time, but it’s all in vain; the man is dead.
Russian doctor caught on camera flooring patient with deadly punch https://t.co/CJhyDMkXQB pic.twitter.com/o8lNRkl7f9
— NDTV (@ndtv) January 10, 2016
Arguably, the actions by the medical staff turn bizarre. They whisper in Russian and three members remove the man’s body into the adjacent room. Two other staff members arrive with a hospital gurney and enter the adjoining room. Having been wrapped in blankets, the dead man then rolled out of the room. The video concludes with a woman cleaning up the bloody mess on the floor.
According to a Daily Mail, the hospital surgeon was terminated from his position after the punching death. Police did not arrest him, but he signed a document pledging that he would not travel out of the area while the investigation continues.
Oddly, the Investigative Committee said the fatal incident took place on December 29. Sources say it has only come to light because the video went viral and piqued the world’s interest. The cause of death was due to head trauma, apparently from the man falling backwards onto the hard hospital floor — not from the punching attack.
An outcry took place after the man was only given what some call a slap on the wrist. Investigators came under fire for deliberately trying to conceal the incident. However, the agency said it opened up a criminal probe the day after the medical examiner revealed the death cause.
Officials say the Russian doctor was only given a minor charge of “negligence” because there is no evidence thus far to believe he had intent to kill the patient.
Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said she ordered a third party investigation into the man’s death. Still, the public says it’s not enough.
[Image via Telegraph screenshot]
