KRGV.com

MOSCOW (AP) The star dancer accused of masterminding the attack on the Bolshoi ballet chief says he gave the go-ahead for the attack, but did not order the perpetrator to throw acid on the artistic director's face.

Bolshoi soloist Pavel Dmitrichenko told a Moscow court on Thursday that he had complained about ballet chief Sergei Filin to an acquaintance, who offered to "beat him up."

Dmitrichenko said: "It's not true that I ordered him to throw acid at Filin."

Filin's face and eyes suffered severe burns in the attack.

The court was to decide whether Dmitrichenko and his two co-defendants should remain in custody pending trial.