The key facts
- The Investigative Committee found no confirmation of the voluntary escape of the Usoltsev family, who went missing on September 28, 2025 in Kuturchinskoye Belogorye
- The family had plans for October, including trips and work; they had no stock of belongings or provisions with them
- The accident theory is the priority, but the investigation continues to check the criminal theory
Investigation rules out preparation for a secret departure
The Usoltsev family, who went missing on September 28, 2025 during a hike in the Kuturchinskoye Belogorye in Krasnoyarsk Krai, had no intention of hiding: investigators found no confirmation of the theory that the couple had voluntarily fled with their five-year-old daughter. Yana Syrymbetova, deputy head of the first department for investigating especially important cases of the regional Main Investigative Directorate of the Investigative Committee of Russia, told TASS about this; her words were reported by Life.ru.
What is known about the family's plans
According to Syrymbetova, the trip to Kuturchinskoye Belogorye was an ordinary family vacation that the couple had discussed and prepared for in advance; the location was suggested by the head of the family, Sergei. They did not plan to stay in the taiga for long. 'At the same time, we see that the family had plans for October, including scheduled trips, and there were also work plans. They had no stock of belongings, provisions or anything else with them,' — TASS quotes her as saying. Investigators questioned relatives, friends and colleagues of the missing: no one noticed anything unusual in their behavior or any signs of preparation for a secret departure. 'Everyone notes that the family members' behavior was absolutely normal,' the Investigative Committee representative emphasized.
How the investigation's theories changed
Initially, the investigation considered three main theories: an accident, a voluntary disappearance, and a possible crime. Currently, an accident remains the most likely scenario, and the investigation continues. Earlier, Life.ru reported that the Investigative Committee does not rule out a criminal theory behind the disappearance: despite prioritizing the accident theory, investigators are obliged to check the circumstances of a possible crime, including suggestions of a conflict between the spouses or an encounter with strangers during the hike. The search for the family, which became one of the largest in the region's history, has so far failed to establish the whereabouts of Sergei, Irina and Arina Usoltsev.
