Notification mess: the weapon of the shooter at people in Murmansk should have been seized a year ago

Vladislav Zavgorodny, a resident of Murmansk who opened fire on law enforcement officers, was supposed to hand over his weapon back in May 2024. It was then that he was registered at a drug treatment dispensary with a diagnosis that prevents the possession of weapons, Izvestia found out. However, the lack of clear regulations for the actions of regulatory agencies in such cases led to the fact that Zavgorodny, who had problems with addiction, continued to keep the Vepr carbine and the MP-27 rifle.

Zavgorodny was observed in a medical dispensary

In February 2025, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Murmansk deprived Vladislav Zavgorodny of the right to drive vehicles. During a prosecutor's check for compliance with the law "On Road Safety", it was established that the man has been registered at the Murmansk Regional Drug Treatment dispensary since May 3, 2024. Before that, he had been in hospital for three months. The reason, apparently, was a long-standing alcohol problem.

Back in 2018, Zavgorodny was arrested for drinking alcohol in a public place, Izvestia found out. "When disembarking from the patrol car, he disobeyed the lawful order of the police officers, began grabbing police officers by their uniforms and pushing them away, tried to escape," the court said in its decision to bring the Resident to administrative responsibility.

After discharge, the man did not just register, but visited a narcologist on a monthly basis, but doctors did not reveal a stable remission sufficient to restore his rights to drive vehicles.

"At the hearing, it was established that Zavgorodny V.G. was diagnosed with a diagnosis corresponding to the group of codes F10-F16, F18, F19 of the International Statistical Classification of Diseases," the court's decision clarifies.

We are talking about one of the disorders associated with the use of psychoactive substances. The same list of codes is established by a decree of the Russian government as diagnoses that prevent the possession of weapons. Zavgorodny did not dispute his diagnosis, the court clarified.

Who was supposed to seize the weapon from the Resident

The Federal law "On Weapons", if such diseases are detected in the owner of a weapon, obliges the medical organization to notify the citizen himself and send a message to the licensing and licensing service of the Rosgvardiya about the cancellation of the current medical certificate allowing him to own a weapon. Such a message is generated in the form of an electronic document in a special federal register on the results of a medical examination.

"A citizen who has received a notification of the detection of diseases in which possession of weapons is contraindicated is obliged to immediately hand over the license issued to him for the purchase of weapons, permission to store and carry them, as well as transfer his weapons and cartridges for storage to the federal body authorized in the field of arms trafficking (i.e., to the Russian Guard. — Ed.)," the law says. In turn, the territorial body of the Rosgvardiya, which has received the relevant notification, is also obliged to immediately withdraw the license, weapons and ammunition from the citizen.

Employees of the licensing and licensing departments of the department receive a notification of the cancellation of a medical certificate for access to weapons through the electronic system of interdepartmental interaction.

However, there is no special notification in this system, Alexander Kudryashov, editor-in-chief of Kalibr magazine, explained to Izvestia.

— The inspector must [independently] look and react. — says the expert. — They have a large workload, so such information comes up when renewing a permit or when applying for a new license to purchase weapons.

A specific deadline for entering information into a special register and notifying Rosgvardiya in the Federal Law "On Weapons" has also not been established, but it is assumed that they will be entered on the day of receiving the diagnosis, lawyer and Candidate of Law Alexander Zorin added.

— First of all, a citizen who has been diagnosed with a condition in which he cannot own a weapon is obliged to immediately hand over weapons, documents, and ammunition to the Russian Guard. The legislator's calculation is based on the integrity of the gun owner," said Zorin. — At the same time, legislative gaps in the mechanism for the timing of notification and departmental interaction on the procedure for the seizure of weapons create prerequisites for the illegal use of weapons by people with dangerous diagnoses.

Vyacheslav Vaneev, Chairman of the public organization "Right to Arms", in turn, drew attention to the shortage of personnel in the executive authorities.

"Inspectors may not have time to process all incoming information, especially if they physically travel to all addresses,— he stressed. — Therefore, the direct work on the land is entrusted to the precinct officers. There is also a shortage of personnel and sometimes a lack of qualifications among district police officers.

According to lawyer Muslim Sheikhov, the reason why the weapon was not seized from the Resident in time has nothing to do with jurisprudence.

— The reasons can be different, from problems with the information system to the negligence of employees of a medical institution or the Rosgvardiya. The investigation will find out," stated Sheikhov.

On April 1, it became known that the prosecutor's office of the Murmansk region had already organized an inspection of compliance with the law "On Weapons" by responsible officials.

"On behalf of the prosecutor of the Murmansk Region, Sergey Pavolin, in connection with the incident on March 30, 2025, an inspection of compliance with the requirements of the legislation on weapons was organized," the agency said in a statement. "If violations are detected, comprehensive prosecutorial response measures will be taken."

Izvestia sent inquiries to the Rosgvardiya and the narcological dispensary where Zavgorodny was being monitored.