MOSCOW, August 8 (RAPSI) - The Moscow Tagansky District Court extended on Thursday the detention of Bolshoi Ballet leading soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko, who has been accused of having organized an acid attack against the ballet's artistic director Sergei Filin, RAPSI reports from the courtroom.

The court thus granted the investigators' request to extend the detention until October 18.

Dmitrichenko during the court hearing asked Filin for conciliation.

Filin suffered third-degree burns to his face and eyes on January 17 when unknown assailants attacked him with what is believed to have been concentrated acid. Shortly after the attack, a Bolshoi Theater spokesperson confirmed that Filin had received various threats.

Filin said the aim of the attack may have been to remove him from his position as artistic director and to destroy the prestigious Moscow ballet company's reputation.

Three men were arrested in March in connection with the attack, including Bolshoi ballet dancer Dmitrichenko, the alleged attacker Zarutsky and driver Lipatov.

Aforensic medical examination in May established that the victim sustained grave bodily injury, which means that, if convicted, the three men face up to 12 years in prison.
Filin is undergoing treatment in Germany and, despite initial fears to the contrary, is expected to recover his vision.