A horrifying video clip appears to show a baby being tattooed on the arm by his parents in a clip filmed in response to an online challenge run by a notorious Moscow-based streamer. A Russian internet watchdog is now demanding a criminal probe after the clip was circulated online. Express.co.uk has been unable to verify the footage, which we have chosen not to share.

The one-year-old boy cries as his father holds him and his mum films the sickening stunt. The parents were taking part in a competition with Moscow trash streamer Mellstroy, who is offering free flats worth £45,540 for bizarre TikTok videos which advertise his online project. A now-deleted clip shared on his channel offers cash in exchange for performing outlandish stunts, in a manner reminiscent of a recent episode of Black Mirror, Common People. It is not clear whether the baby video was ever shared on there however.

The child is seemingly being tattooed by a female ink artist with the word ‘Mellstroy-Game’, presumably to impress the streamer whose real name is Andrey Burim, 26.

The mother said in the tattoo parlour video: “We’ve decided to take part in this competition.

“We didn’t know how to surprise you, Mellstroy, so we’ve decided to get a tattoo for our one-year-old child.

“We’ve been living in rented accommodation for three years now and can’t afford to buy a flat.

“We’re up to our ears in debt.

“We’d love to win this competition.”

The video, which has been shared on other social media platforms, went viral with commenters divided on whether it is a real tattoo, as the parents indicated.

But Russian internet monitor Ekaterina Mizulina said the Russian Investigative Committee should urgently probe the stunt.

“The bottom has been reached,” she said.

“A family tattooed their one-year-old child to participate in a competition advertising a casino.

“The tattoo may not be real, but the baby is crying throughout the entire video.

“We will forward the materials to the Investigative Committee.”

She slammed the trash streamer, saying: “The scammer Mellstroy launched a hooligan contest to advertise the online casino he created.

“Contestants can do whatever they want on camera, as long as their video becomes a TikTok trend, the only requirement is to include a link to the casino in the video.”

Mellstroy, with 7.6 million followers across different platforms, claims to be giving away 30 apartments – one a day – for TikTok videos he approves of.

“I will buy one apartment a day for every TikToker that I or my team likes,” he said.

“This month we’ll buy at least 30 apartments for TikTokers at 5 million roubles [£45,540] each.”

Mizulina, head of the safe Internet League, claimed contestants were being led into criminality and self harm.

“Thousands of teenagers – and even adults – across the country have been damaging and tearing up passports, shaving their heads, damaging property, and even setting themselves on fire.

“It’s only going to get worse—the videos are becoming more brutal and absurd with each passing day.

“All because of the large prizes the scammer promised.”

Known as a Kremlin moral guardian, Mizulina demanded the law be used to stop the streamer’s antics.

“What’s the point of ….the Russian Criminal Code if it doesn’t work at all?

“And who will be held accountable for involving children in antisocial acts and the consequences for their lives and health”.

TikTok has now removed the hashtag MellstroyGame.