A Novosibirsk court has sentenced a 43-year-old local man to two and a half years in prison for shooting two women in a bar.
The Dzerzhinsky District Court of Novosibirsk handed down the sentence after finding the defendant guilty of aggravated hooliganism involving violence and threats, the regional prosecutor's office reported to news outlet Lenta.ru.
The shooting took place in February 2026 inside a local cafe-bar in the city. According to prosecutor statements and court findings, the 43-year-old resident approached two young women inside the establishment with the intention of introducing himself to them.
When the women refused to get acquainted with him, the situation escalated. The man pulled a traumatic handgun from his pocket, made explicit threats, and fired three shots directly at the women's legs.
Legal charges and penal colony sentence
The court convicted the defendant under Part 2 of Article 213 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which covers hooliganism committed with violence, threats of violence, and the use of weapons. Under Russian criminal law, Article 213 addresses severe breaches of public order that demonstrate clear disrespect for society, with Part 2 imposing heavier penalties when weapons or violence are involved.
The defendant was ordered to serve his two-and-a-half-year term in a general-regime penal colony. Within the Russian penal system, general-regime corrective colonies represent the standard level of custody for first-time offenders convicted of grave crimes or moderate offenses, where inmates live in communal dormitories and participate in organized daily routines under standard security conditions.
Firearm regulations and regional location
Traumatic pistols are non-lethal sidearms commonly manufactured in Russia to fire rubber bullets or tear gas rounds. Intended primarily for self-defence, their possession requires dedicated permits from Russian law enforcement agencies, and their use in public disputes frequently leads to criminal prosecution under public safety laws.
Novosibirsk, situated along the Ob River in southwestern Siberia, is the third most populous city in Russia and serves as the administrative centre of Novosibirsk Oblast. The Dzerzhinsky District Court is one of several municipal district courts operating within the urban center to oversee criminal and civil proceedings.
