World · Europe · 3 hrs ago
Missing 17-year-old from Yakutia found alive in Vladivostok
Yan Protopopov, a 17-year-old from Yakutia, was found alive in Vladivostok after being missing for about a month.
He had hitchhiked from the village of Topolinoe to Vladivostok and stopped contacting his family.
His mother traveled to the city and searched for him, asking local residents to help.
Volunteers, police, people from Yakutia and Vladivostok residents joined the search and shared information about him.
His mother said local people had taken him in and thanked those who helped.
It is not known where Yan stayed or why he lost contact with his family.
His mother said they hoped to return home as soon as possible.
A 17-year-old from Yakutia who went missing in Vladivostok was found alive, according to reports published on October 19.
The teenager, named Yan Protopopov in two reports, had travelled from the village of Topolinoye to Vladivostok.
His mother and other relatives joined a month-long search involving volunteers, police, people from Yakutia and local residents.
His whereabouts during the time he was missing have not been reported.
- Who
- Yan Protopopov, a 17-year-old from Yakutia.
- What
- He was found alive after going missing in Vladivostok.
- When
- He was found by October 19, 2026; reports say he had been missing for about a month.
- Where
- Vladivostok, Russia. He had travelled there from the village of Topolinoye in Yakutia.
- Why
- Not stated why he left or why he stopped contacting his family.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Reports give different dates for when Yan left or stopped contacting relatives: PrimaMedia.ru says he stopped responding on September 9, while primpress.ru says he left Topolinoye on September 18.
Yan's mother and other relatives searched for him in Vladivostok, with help from volunteers, police, people from Yakutia and local residents.
Reports said Yan had been found alive.
- Age
- 17
- Name
- Yan Protopopov
- Origin
- Village of Topolinoye, Yakutia
- Search location
- Vladivostok
- Reported discovery
- By October 19, 2026
3 sources
What people are saying
Everything is all right! We're now going from the suburb to Vladivostok. My son is chubby, rosy, and well-fed. Thank God! Good people took him in!
Vladivostok residents are incredibly responsive people. They helped us so much!
Thank you to everyone who cared about our situation. This case showed that the world is not without kind people.