Family Missing in Siberian Taiga Not to Be Searched For

Plans to resume searching for the missing Usol'tsevs family are not being made.

Consensus

The Usoltsev family disappeared in September 2025 in the Kутурchinское Belogorye region of Krasnoysk Krai.
The family consisted of parents Sergey and Irina Usoltsev and their five-year-old daughter Arina.
The family went missing during a hiking trip and stopped communicating with the outside world.
A criminal case was opened following their disappearance.
Search operations were conducted but yielded no results.
Authorities have decided not to resume the search for the family.
The family was last seen by two tourists.
The family was dressed in light clothing and without proper equipment for the region.
The area is known for being dangerous due to rugged terrain, potential for getting lost, and natural hazards like rock fissures.
A radio signal from Sergey Usoltsev’s phone was detected on October 8, 2025, indicating the device was in a location about 7 kilometers from the village of Kутурчин.
The search focused on the area indicated by the signal, but no remains or evidence were found.
The most likely explanation considered by investigators is an accident, possibly due to sudden illness or exposure.

The family had a dog with them during the hike, which is not mentioned in the Vesti report. — gazeta_spb
The family was seen by two tourists who were the last witnesses before their disappearance. — gazeta_spb
Spelaeologists discovered two caves with entrances about 2 meters in diameter, 32 meters deep, and 70 meters long in the search area. — gazeta_spb
Initially, there was a claim of 600,000 rubles hidden in a cache, but the Investigative Committee clarified that the money was in the car's glove compartment and amounted to 300,000 rubles. — gazeta_spb
The family was last seen in late September, and the weather worsened by late October with snowfall and strong winds. — gazeta_spb
The family was considered experienced tourists, which made the case unusual compared to typical missing persons cases in forests. — gazeta_spb
The Investigative Committee considered the possibility that the family fled due to fear of bears or became disoriented. — gazeta_spb