Several Russian Telegram channels reported on Tuesday the kidnapping of a man in downtown Moscow, who had called for help from passers-by and asked them to call the police.

The abductee is believed to be Armenian businessman Areg Shchepikhin, ASTRA reported.

A number of other online publications, including Baza, reported that the kidnapped person was taken from downtown Moscow in the trunk of a car with flashing lights. SOTA noted that the car had a license plate registered with the Federal Security Service of Russia.

Police have launched an investigation, informed the Central Federal District Transport Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The video of the incident was posted on the Baza and 112 Telegram channels. The footage shows a man being dragged by his arms and legs through a railway station building and shoved into the trunk of a car with flashing lights and АМР license plates. At that moment, the man calls for help and shouts: “This is not the police.”

According to Baza, police officers tried to stop the car, but were unsuccessful. Later, this Telegram channel cited eyewitnesses and reported that the car was stopped. It is not known whether Shchepikhin was in the car. A source from REN TV also reported that the car was stopped.