ruslan
Ruslan Korolev, 10, disappeared on 28 October 2017 after being lured to the apartment of Alexander Georgievsky

A paedophile in Russia has been accused of luring a 10-year-old boy to his flat before strangling him and dismembering his body.

Ruslan Korolev's disappearance in October was initially treated as a missing persons case before his remains began turning up around St Petersburg and the neighbouring town.

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His attacker, Alexander Georgievsky, was identified months later after CCTV footage showed him luring the boy to his apartment, police said.

The 35-year-old allegedly confessed to having tried to molest Ruslan before flying into a rage when the boy rebuffed his advances.

He is then said to have killed the youngster before cutting up his body with a hacksaw and dumping his remains.

Police say they are now looking into whether Georgievsky, who has previous convictions for child sex abuse, had anything to do with the disappearance of another local child, aged six.

Ruslan's disappearance on 28 October sparked a major search operation.

He was reported to have enjoyed "train hopping" and on the day he went missing had been seen at a station in his home town of Otradnoye, about 20 miles east of St Petersburg.

Georgievsky had been drinking in a nearby café at the same time and began talking with the youngster. He then allegedly invited him back to his apartment, saying he would give him some food.

The suspect was caught on CCTV buying cakes and vodka at a supermarket before then leading the boy back to his flat, where he drank alcohol and allegedly attempted to rape the child.

When the terrified youngster rebuffed his advances, Georgievsky allegedly strangled him, cut up his body, and dumped his remains in different spots around the town and in St Petersburg.

Georgievsky was arrested on Thursday (21 December) after police checked CCTV footage for any sign of the boy. He has allegedly confessed to the murder.

He also revealed to officers where he had hidden the rest of the remains, local media reported.

Police say he now faces life in jail.

Russia