A migrant worker from Uzbekistan is being hailed as a hero in Saint Petersburg, Russia after he caught a seven-year-old boy who fell from a seventh-floor window - a split-second act that likely saved the child’s life.

Thirty-six-year-old Khayrullo Ibodullaev, who works as a janitor, was outside when he noticed the boy dangling dangerously from an open window, The Caspian Post reports via Uzbek media.

The child, who has been diagnosed with autism, had been playing with a tablet near the window when he lost his balance and slipped, managing to cling briefly to the ledge.

Realizing what was happening, Ibodullaev tried to warn the boy with shouts and gestures. Moments later, the child lost his grip and fell. Without hesitation, the Uzbek worker positioned himself beneath the window and caught the boy, cushioning the impact with his own body.

He then carried the unconscious child into the building entrance and attempted to revive him until paramedics arrived. The boy’s mother, who had been in the kitchen, discovered her son missing only about ten minutes later.

Both sustained serious injuries in the fall. The child is currently in intensive care in stable condition, suffering from fractures and internal injuries. Ibodullaev was diagnosed with broken hands and a fractured rib.

The man had arrived in Russia just four months ago in search of work. Back home in Uzbekistan, four children and his elderly parents are waiting for him.