The return of the "Pianist": arsonist from the Darknet intimidates businesses in the center of Moscow

A gang of serial arsonist and rioter "The Pianist" may be behind the incident on Zubovsky Boulevard in Moscow, where a tobacco kiosk was vandalized on February 24, Izvestia found out. A video of a masked man first setting off fireworks and then smashing kiosk windows with a hammer appeared on a Telegram channel associated with the Pianist. The channel's administrator, in correspondence with Izvestia, confirmed his attitude to the action in the center of the capital, explaining that "the motive is personal." Previously, this person was one of the objects of our investigation into how the market for security services on the darknet works. Who is the "Pianist", why he conflicts with criminal authorities and organizes intimidation actions in the center of Moscow — in our material.

Pogrom on Zubovsky Boulevard

On Monday evening, February 24, an unidentified young man in black clothes set off and set off fireworks at the building on Zubovsky Boulevard. Some of the visitors and staff of the shops and coffee shops located in the nearest building went outside to watch the show.

At this time, the same unknown man, hiding his face with a mask and hood, confidently entered a small outlet with the inscription "Tobacco 24 hours", took out a hammer and href="https://ren.tv/news/kriminal/1311136-perevel-15-tysiach-za-ushcherb-banda-pianista-vmesto-podzhoga-razgromila-kiosk " target="_blank">began to smash glass display cases with tobacco products. Then he took out an aerosol can with silver paint and painted a treble clef on the floor.

The actions of the unknown were captured by surveillance cameras and an eyewitness who filmed everything on a smartphone. But, as it turned out, the attacker himself recorded his actions on camera. Later, the footage appeared in one of the Telegram channels associated with the "Pianist", the anonymous organizer of the contract arson and attacks.

"The latest Chinese warning to Rambom and his tobacco. Next time, the fireworks will be inside, and the hammer and paint will be on his face," the message said, apparently addressed to the alleged business owner.

The channel's authors also offered moral compensation to the frightened cashier girl who got into the frame and soon reported on the transfer of 15 thousand rubles to her.

In January 2025, "The Pianist" has already signed his signature autograph on the doors of Nikita Efremov's fashionable sneakers store on Petrovka. The journalists considered this a warning from a well-known performer on the Darknet. Yefremov refused to communicate with Izvestia.

Izvestia contacted an anonymous administrator of one of the channels of the Pianist, who confirmed his involvement in both actions. "The motive is personal. The tobacco shop owners questioned the clarity of the pianist," he briefly explained the essence of the action.

At the end of 2024, the "Pianist" talked about his business in a short interview for investigations of Izvestia about security services on the darknet. The reason was a series of arson attacks in Moscow and the Moscow region in the fall. The crimes were united by a common handwriting and a painted treble clef. Then the "Pianist" insisted that he earns from $1.5 thousand on arson alone and basically does not accept orders from the Ukrainian special services.

Who is a "Pianist"

Some of the victims of the arson attacks linked the pseudonym "The Pianist" to the identity of 20-year—old Peter Vrublevsky, the son of well-known IT businessman Pavel Vrublevsky, who is awaiting sentencing in a criminal case related to his business in the field of Internet payments. Recently, the media spread his last words in verses generated using ChatGPT.

Vrublevsky Jr. lives in Switzerland and has gained fame among users of darknet resources. After anonymous interviews with illegal arms dealers, some darknet users concluded that Vrublevsky Jr. was hiding behind their pseudonyms, including "Peter the Pianist." In March 2024, a young man was put on the international wanted list in the case of several arson attacks.

In February 2025, information about the conflict between the "Pianist" and a group of "thieves in law" also appeared in one of the anonymous Telegram channels. Allegedly, the friction arose because of the threats of the "Pianist" against certain persons, for whom criminal leaders stood up. The post was accompanied by a video recording of a telephone conversation between the "Pianist" (the man's voice behind the scenes was changed). The authors of the publication claimed that the footage showed "a conversation, presumably, between Peter the Pianist and Ilo Kaliningradsky." The conversation, which involved amounts of tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars, was conducted in raised tones and ended with the refusal of the "Pianist" to abandon his demands to certain debtors.

Earlier, in an interview with Izvestia, a representative of Vrublevsky Jr. denied involvement in the crimes he was charged with. The "Pianist" himself denied his connection with Vrublevsky.