Dangerous BDSM games result in two deaths and trial

The tragic incident occurred under the curtain of the New Year holidays. On January 11, 2026, in an apartment in Krasnogorsk, Moscow region, a young couple was engaged in a BDSM game. Daria's wife was handcuffed, her legs tied and a gag in her mouth. Her husband, Vladimir, covered her mouth and nose with his hand, trying to increase sensations through short-term strangulation. However, the game quickly spiraled out of control - Daria became ill, she fell from her bed to the floor. The husband did not help, but took a pillow and strangled the woman.

This case caused a wide public outcry in Russia: was it an accident or premeditated murder?

The investigation found out that on the night of the incident, Vladimir handcuffed his wife with metal handcuffs, tied his hands behind his back, his legs with a rope, and inserted a gag into his mouth. He then began to cover his wife’s nose with his hand, creating a choking sensation. This is a common practice in BDSM, known as “breath control,” where participants usually negotiate safety signals in advance.

But Daria quickly became ill. She lost her balance and fell from her bed to the floor. At this point, the husband had to stop playing and check on his wife’s condition. According to the prosecution, he did take the gag out of Daria's mouth - but what he did next was the exact opposite of first aid. He took a pillow and covered his wife’s face with it until she stopped breathing.

The prosecution believes that the man decided to kill his wife, remembering the previous conflicts with her. This means that the fatal strangulation was not part of the BDSM game, but a self-act of violence caused by old grievances after the game was interrupted.

The identity of the suspect was revealed gradually as the case was covered. According to Telegram channel 112, he ran a BDSM-themed channel, publishing materials using knives, needles and ropes - first with his first wife, then with Daria. Until 2025, he also ran a BDSM club, which was closed after a police search.

The neighbours also added information. Residents said that three years ago Vladimir ran down the street naked with a knife.

Mother Daria, who demanded moral satisfaction in the amount of five million, said that the son-in-law and in everyday life showed aggression: scolded his wife for poorly cooked food or not clean enough cleaning, raised his hand. Mother-in-law also did not escape the fate of aggression: disruptions went to her address.

The central legal question of the case is whether the death should be attributed to an accident during a BDSM game or to premeditated murder by the accused. A key legal concept in this qualification is the distinction between “risky action within the game” and “self-killing.” If Daria's death had occurred entirely in the course of a BDSM game (for example, Vladimir did not release his hand covering his mouth and nose in time), the case could have qualified as causing death by negligence. But the prosecution insists that after Daria fell from bed, the game was interrupted, and after that the husband committed an independent murder on the basis of anger and old resentments.

During the arrest, the suspect did not plead guilty. At a hearing on October 7, 2026, he also refused to plead guilty, his lawyer asked to change the measure of restraint to house arrest, but the court rejected the petition, extending the period of detention for six months.

This tragedy addresses the long-standing problem of risk boundaries in BDSM practices. Breath control is one of the riskiest practices in BDSM, capable of leading to hypoxic brain damage and even death, even with mutual consent and prior discussion.

“MK” talked about role-playing with sexologist Maria Krapivina.

Safe role-playing is built on three things: agreement, clarity and the ability to stop at any moment. Anything that blocks your breath, prevents you from signaling, or causes real pain goes beyond safe play. Diversity in intimate life is possible without risk to life – provided that both partners understand where fantasy ends and reality begins.