"[Moscow’s] Western District Prosecutor’s Office withdrew the decision to open a criminal case on this matter. The case materials were returned to the investigation for further review," a spokesperson for the Prosecutor’s Office Lyudmila Nefyodova told Sputnik.

On June 1, three students including Petelin were held by the police on suspicion of vandalizing a tournament noticeboard after it was daubed with red paint reading "No to the fan zone." The damage was estimated at 65,000 rubles ($1,000 USD). Petelin was the only one to be charged.

MSU Rector Viktor Sadovnichiy wrote a letter to First Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandr Gorovoy on Friday, asking that Petelin should not have any "legal liability" for the act.

Over 50,000 people signed a petition asking for the case against Petelin to be dropped, including students and professors from other major Moscow’s Universities.

A group of MSU students had previously asked the Local Organizing Committee to move the fan zone from Vorobyovy Gory (Sparrow Hlls), where the university is located, to a different area in Moscow so that the fan zone would not disrupt the MSU's examination session.

Russia's first-ever World Cup will be held in 11 cities, with Moscow set to host a total of 12 matches at two arenas, the 81,000-seater Luzhniki Stadium and the 45,000-seater Spartak Arena. Luzhniki Stadium will host both the opening match on June 14 and the final on July 15.