The disappearance of the Usoltsevs: the latest news in the case of the disappearance of a family in the Krasnoyarsk Territory

The story of the disappearance of the Usoltsev family in the fall of 2025 in the Krasnoyarsk Territory remains one of the most mysterious in recent years. The investigation continues to consider different versions of what happened — from an accident to natural traps that could hide the traces of people. What were the chances of the Usoltsevs surviving the winter in the taiga frosts and the latest news in the disappearance case — in the Izvestia article.

The case of the missing Usoltsevs: the latest news

In March 2026, reports about the possible discovery of bodies in the Krasnoyarsk Territory began to spread in thematic Internet chats and communities. One of the users claimed that the remains of the missing could be found in one of the pits.

There is no official confirmation of this information yet. Representatives of the investigative authorities and search services did not report on the results that could clarify the fate of the Usoltsev family.

It is only known that at the end of February, one of the search teams traveled to the area of the alleged disappearance of the family. However, the results of this expedition were not publicly reported.

Could the Usoltsev family have survived the winter in the taiga

The probability that the Usoltsev family, who disappeared in the Krasnoyarsk Territory, could have survived after a long stay in the cold in the taiga is extremely low. This opinion was expressed by cryologist Alexey Samykin. His words are quoted by Channel Five.

The expert noted that in world practice, there are indeed cases when people were able to be rescued after the most serious accidents, for example, shipwrecks or plane crashes. In addition, controlled hypothermia is used in medicine: in a hospital setting, doctors artificially lower the body temperature of a patient with severe injuries in order to slow down vital processes and gain time before a complex operation.

However, as Samykin emphasized, the situation with the Usoltsevs is different. Considering how much time has passed since their disappearance, the possibility of rescue is almost impossible. According to him, the time factor plays a crucial role in hypothermia.

The expert explained that it is possible to help a person who has been severely exposed to the cold only if help comes quickly enough. If the body has been at extremely low temperatures for a long time, the chances of salvation decrease dramatically.

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The disappearance of the Usoltsev family in the Krasnoyarsk Territory: chronology of events

Sergey Usoltsev, his wife Irina and their five-year-old daughter Arina went on a short hiking trip near Mount Pinocchio on September 28, 2025. The walk was supposed to take only a few hours, but the family never returned, and soon stopped contacting.

Although Sergey was considered an experienced taiga ranger and was well-versed in such places, the chosen route in the conditions of autumn bad weather could pose a serious danger. On the evening of the same day, the search began, which eventually turned into one of the largest rescue operations in the region in recent years.

According to investigators, the end point of the family's route could not be Mount Pinocchio itself, but the nearby Malvinka rock. The deputy head of the investigative department, Yana Syrymbetova, explained that this version is connected with Irina Usoltseva's desire to find the so-called wishing stone on the way to Malvinka. This hypothesis is supported by the testimony of tourists who were in the Kuturchinsky Belogorye area at that time.

Syrymbetova clarified that, according to witnesses, the Usoltsevs arrived about half an hour later than another tourist group. She first left the main trail, and then returned to the route leading to Pinocchio. If the family had gone directly to the mountain, the tourists could have crossed paths with them, but this did not happen.

The readings obtained made it possible to narrow down the area of the initial search, but this did not lead to the discovery of the missing. Employees of all the nearby camp sites and local residents were interviewed, but none of them saw the Usoltsevs after they set off along the route.

The strange circumstances of the disappearance of the Usoltsevs

There are several details in the missing family case that raise questions from investigators and are being actively discussed online. So, when examining the Usoltsevs' car, about 300 thousand rubles in cash were found in the glove compartment.

The Investigative Committee noted that relatives explained this discovery by Sergei Usoltsev's habit of keeping large amounts of money in the car. For this reason, the mere fact of having money did not become direct evidence of the criminal version. Nevertheless, it was he who gave rise to various assumptions about the possible connection of the disappearance with the financial affairs of the man. Investigators checked his business and social circle, but found no information about conflicts, threats or other circumstances that could indicate a crime.

Another unusual episode also attracted special attention. On October 3, Sergei Usoltsev's page on the VKontakte social network — five days after his disappearance — displayed the status "online". Later, the investigation gave a technical explanation for this.: The man had two phones, and one of them might not be with him. The periodic appearance of the status is probably due to automatic updates of applications and background connection of the device to the Internet.

At the same time, search engines continue to be surprised by the almost complete absence of traces of human presence in the taiga. No personal belongings, signs of parking, or other evidence were found at the scene. Even in the most severe cases, there are usually some small traces, such as packages, remnants of a campfire, or fragments of clothing. There have been no such finds in the history of the Usoltsevs.

What is known about the missing family from Zheleznogorsk

Sergey Usoltsev was the founder of the International Development Center — Zheleznogorsk company. Over the years, he was also brought to administrative responsibility for violations related to financial activities and registration procedures.

In the late 1990s, Usoltsev participated in the implementation of the American Nuclear Cities Initiative program, which made him a well-known figure in the business circles of Zheleznogorsk. By the time of his disappearance, he had to report on the expenditure of government grants, and funds remained in his organization's accounts. These circumstances are being investigated by the investigation, but at the moment there is no direct connection between his work and the loss of his family.

Not found: the disappearance of the Usoltsev family remains unsolved

The search operations covered dozens of kilometers of forest roads and large areas of inaccessible terrain.

Irina Usoltseva was a psychologist by profession. She was interested in spiritual practices and ran a blog dedicated to the topic of self-discovery and harmonious relationships, which had its own audience. According to some acquaintances, her fascination with esotericism could be one of the reasons for her desire to find the so-called "wishing stone."

The main versions of the disappearance of the Usoltsevs

Investigators continue to consider several possible scenarios of what happened. The most likely version is still considered to be an accident that could have occurred on a difficult section of the route in conditions of rapidly deteriorating weather.

Forensic medical expert Alexander Aulov does not rule out that the bodies could have ended up under snow drifts, been swept away by the current into one of the watercourses, or been exposed to wild animals. According to him, such factors can significantly complicate the search and explain why traces have not yet been found.

The specialist also notes that the situation may become clearer after the spring snowmelt. Among the possible options, falling into a natural trap is also being considered — for example, into a karst cavity or a deep crevice, the entrance to which could be hidden by grass, shrubs or stones.

Criminal theories — including kidnapping, murder, or voluntary disappearance for the purpose of staging — have also been checked, but have not yet been confirmed. The absence of ransom demands, obvious conflicts, or a convincing motive for staging makes such scenarios less likely.

All important news is on the Izvestia channel in the MAX messenger.