Sergey and Irina Usol'tsev, along with their five-year-old daughter…
Sergey and Irina Usol'tsev, along with their five-year-old daughter Arina, disappeared during a planned one-day hike on Kutyurchinskoye Belogorye in late September of the previous year. Despite extensive searches using drones and volunteers, no traces were found, leading forensic expert Mikhail Ignatov to suggest the family may have voluntarily disappeared.
Consensus
- Sergey and Irina Usol'tvev, along with their five-year-old daughter Arinа, disappeared in late September of the previous year.
- The family was planning a one-day hike on Kutyurchinskoye Bełogorye.
- Their car was found at the start of the presumed route.
- No traces of the two adults or the child were found despite extensive searches involving drones and dozens of volunteers.
- Forensic expert Mikhail Ignatov stated he continues to favor the theory of voluntary disappearance.
- The absence of any traces after large-scale searches is cited as a key argument for the theory of a deliberate escape.
Points of divergence
- Ten months after the disappearance, a mysterious message was received by a friend of the family, Valentin Degtyarev, via email from an anonymous sender claiming to be Irina Usol'tseva. The message included a voice recording that sounded like her, stating they would not return, mentioning problems that prevented a happy life, and saying goodbye to loved ones. — gazeta_spb
- The voice recording was made on June 20 but only sent after July 20, with the reason for the one-month delay unknown. — gazeta_spb
- Experts are divided on the authenticity of the voice recording; some believe it is a deepfake created using neural networks, citing lack of emotion and identical pauses between sentences as indicators. — gazeta_spb
- Valentin Degtyarev verified the recording using a special application, which indicated it could be genuine. — gazeta_spb
Coverage (2 sources)
- Forensic expert named sign of possible escape of Usol'tsevs — РИАМО
- Forensic expert named the main argument in favor of the Usolevs' escape - Gazeta SPB RU - news from Saint Petersburg — Gazeta.SPb