A shocking case of child abuse in Russia has sparked international outrage after a couple forcibly tattooed their 1-year-old child as part of an online competition.
Second The sunthe couple filmed themselves holding their crying baby while a tattoo artist etched the phrase “Mellstroy-Game” onto the baby’s arm.
people-One young man smiling-A-stack of US hundred-dollar bills-B-money counting machine-C-glass with amber liquid
" data-image-caption="" data-medium-file="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-240x300.jpeg" data-large-file="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-641x801.jpeg" data-wp-class--hide="state.isContentHidden" data-wp-class--show="state.isContentVisible" data-wp-init="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async--click="actions.showLightbox" data-wp-on-async--load="callbacks.setButtonStyles" data-wp-on-async-window--resize="callbacks.setButtonStyles" alt="people-A young man smiling-A-stack of American one hundred dollar bills-B-money counting machine-C-glass with amber liquid" class="wp-image-882912" srcset="https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident.jpeg 1639w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-240x300.jpeg 240w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-641x801.jpeg 641w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-768x960.jpeg 768w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-1229x1536.jpeg 1229w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-1200x1499.jpeg 1200w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-820x1024.jpeg 820w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-780x975.jpeg 780w, https://cdn.kbizoom.com/media/2025/10/25100212/hnxghqdvmjwmzp54ch635trayazv2qh1-russian-baby-tattoo-incident-400x500.jpeg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1639px) 100vw, 1639px"/>
The entry refers to Mellstroy, a controversial Belarusian streamer with over 7.6 million followers, who reportedly launched a marketing contest promising a £45,500 (₩87 million / $55,000 USD) apartment to the participant who promoted his casino project in the most “creative” way.
In the disturbing footage, the child can be heard screaming in pain as his father holds his arm. The mother, appearing calm, explains that they decided to tattoo their child to “surprise Mellstroy” and win the competition prize.
“We are in debt and can’t afford an apartment” he said in the clip. “We really want to win this contest.”
The video spread quickly on social media, sparking public outrage across Russia and beyond. Viewers described it as “pure horror” and “one of the most disturbing examples of online culture gone awry”.
Ekaterina Mizulina, head of the Russian League for Safe Internet, condemned the act and urged authorities to launch an immediate investigation.
“The child is clearly crying in pain. Whether the tattoo is real or not, the very act of producing such a video constitutes child abuse,” Mizulina said. “This case demonstrates how desperate people can be manipulated by toxic online trends.”
As of now, Russian authorities have begun reviewing the footage to verify the authenticity of the tattoo and identify the people involved.
