[90358] Storm surrounding the discovery of a 'severed head' in the Moika River in St. Petersburg: It was a cat's skull

Panic in the Moika: What started as a report of a severed head turned out to be a case of mistaken identity

On June 19, 2026, numerous reports on social media in Russia sparked a wave of rumors after an object resembling a human head was found in the Moika River in the center of St. Petersburg, near building number 40. Various Telegram channels, including Питер Live and Рифмы и Панчи, were quick to report the discovery of a "severed human head," while using terms that point to the city's reputation as a scene for criminal incidents of this nature.

The initial reports included descriptions from eyewitnesses who claimed that rescue forces pulled a head that was found floating in the river from the water. Channels such as Ateo Breaking and Фонтанка SPB Online updated that the police and teams were operating at the scene, but as of those moments, it was not possible to determine the identity or gender of the deceased.

As the event developed, official sources and news agencies began to correct the details. Channel 112 and Бладсикер 2.0 updated that after an in-depth examination of the findings pulled from the water, it turned out that "the skull found belongs to a cat."

Despite the correction, the event sparked cynical criticism among many users. Channels associated with criticism of the Russian establishment or a provocative reporting style, such as Мышеловка and Ateo Blacked, took the opportunity to highlight the "depressing atmosphere" or the stereotypes attributed to the city. Ultimately, the event, which began as a mass panic with hundreds of thousands of views on Telegram, ended without human casualties.