Russian Vlogger Accused of Invading Champions League Pitch Advertising, 3 Others also Implicated
Around 700 million people worldwide tuned in to watch the UEFA Champions League final in London on Saturday, where the match was disrupted by individuals running onto the pitch.
An estimated 220 million people worldwide watched the game on June 1, which Real Madrid won 2–0.
The five individuals who ran onto the pitch at the start of the match were wearing T-shirts with the name Mellstroy, associated with a Russian vlogger named Andrey Burim.
Three arrests were made by the Metropolitan Police in connection to the incidents on Saturday.
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Yevhenii Lubnenko, 29, is scheduled to appear in court on Monday; David Carneckij, 28, has been released on bail until a later date; and a 16-year-old boy is due to appear at youth court on June 24.
All three are accused of entering the playing area at a football match in violation of the Football (Offences) Act 1991.
The Met Police stated, “Enquiries are ongoing in relation to two other individuals detained following the same incident.”
In 2020, Burim, based in Moscow, physically assaulted a model during a livestream on YouTube and was subsequently banned from the platform, shifting to Telegram where he now has 1.17 million subscribers.
Police Made Total of 56 Arrests
The police made 56 arrests before, during, and after the game, mainly for attempting unauthorized access.
A video depicting numerous individuals trying to breach stadium security and gain entry went viral.
A spokesperson for the Met confirmed that most attempts to illegally access the stadium were thwarted.
The Met deployed a strong policing operation to support Wembley stewards and stadium staff, following the incidents at the Euro 2020 final the previous year.
During that event, hundreds of fans without tickets breached security and entered the stadium for the match, which Italy won on penalties.
The Football Association invested £5 million in enhancing safety and security at Wembley, affirming its commitment to addressing inappropriate fan conduct.
Over 2,000 police officers were on duty in London, managing security not only at Wembley and fan zones but also at a protest and counter-demonstration.
A statement on Wembley Stadium’s website emphasized their dedication to curbing inappropriate fan behavior for the historic UEFA Champions League final.
“Wembley Stadium made several security enhancements for recent events, including increased stewarding, ticket checks, stronger fencing, new security measures, and stricter enforcement of public safety orders during events,” the statement added.
PA Media contributed to this report.
