Pavel Dmitrichenko - Dancer Pavel Dmitrichenko Admits Bolshoi Attack Horror

Artistic director Sergei Filin was treated for severe burns in January (13) after a corrosive substance was thrown in his face as he travelled home in Moscow.

Police arrested three people, including alleged mastermind Dmitrichenko, who has starred in Bolshoi Theatre productions of Swan Lake and Ivan The Terrible.

He appeared at a Moscow court on Thursday (07Mar13) for a bail hearing, and the judge was told Dmitrichenko has admitted his involvement in the incident but insists he only wanted Filin assaulted and he had no idea acid would be used in the attack.

It is believed the incident stemmed from a complaint by Dmitrichenko's dancer girlfriend that Filin was hindering her career.

The court was told Dmitrichenko commissioned a thug to assault Filin but when he heard the attacker had thrown acid in the target's face, Dmitrichenko was "absolutely shocked as he had no intention of the attack going that far".

Dmitrichenko was denied bail and was remanded in custody until the next court hearing.

His co-accused - alleged attacker Yury Zarutsky and driver Andrei Lipatov - were also denied bail.