A Russian military court has sentenced serviceman M. G. Novikov to 14 years in prison after he left his unit without authorization and opened fire at a public transport stop in Yaroslavl.
The press service of the Yaroslavl Garrison Military Court informed news outlet Lenta.ru of the verdict. Novikov was found guilty under criminal charges of hooliganism, vandalism, and evading the execution of military service duties.
For the new offenses, the court initially imposed a term of 12 years of imprisonment. However, Novikov was previously released from a suspended sentence after entering into a military service contract during the mobilization period. Because he had not completed that earlier penalty, the court added the unserved portion of his first sentence, bringing his total punishment to 14 years in a penal colony.
As established by the judicial investigation, Novikov left his place of military service without official authorization and traveled to the city of Yaroslavl. Once in the city, he arrived at a public transit stop and, acting strictly out of hooligan motives, fired a pneumatic pistol at a trolleybus and its driver.
The shooting inflicted light harm to the health of the trolleybus driver. Court authorities confirmed that no other individuals were injured during the shooting at the transport stop.
Jurisdiction of Russian military courts
The Yaroslavl Garrison Military Court handles legal proceedings and criminal trials for military personnel stationed within its designated judicial district. Garrison military courts serve as primary courts of first instance across the Russian Federation, managing cases involving service members, desertion, and offenses committed against public order by troops.
Yaroslavl is an historic city and regional administrative center located approximately 250 kilometers northeast of Moscow at the confluence of the Volga and Kotorosl rivers. The city operates an extensive public transport network, including electric trolleybuses and buses serving urban commuters.
Previous legal rulings
In a separate legal matter cited by news outlet Lenta.ru, military judicial authorities previously sentenced Alexei Marushchenko, the founder of the Yastreb private military company, to 18 years in a strict-regime penal colony for committing serious crimes against participants in Russia's military operation.
