Lube's bass player died after a brutal beating. A lenient sentence: why the killer of the Lyube bass guitarist was sentenced to restriction of freedom. Many people see something mystical in this story
In Moscow, Pavel Usanov, the 40-year-old bass guitarist of the Lyube group, died without emerging from a two-week coma. Usanov was severely beaten on the night of April 2 after a quarrel in a bar near Moscow. The investigation claims that the cause of the fight was “personal hostility” between Usanov and his alleged offender. Friends of the murdered musician talk about Pavel's political position, which could lead to tragedy. Ruposters has collected all versions of the tragedy and memories of the musician “Lube”.
Fight and hospital
It all started in a bar near Moscow in the Dmitrovsky district, where the musician celebrated the birthday of his good friend’s son. “MK,” citing an anonymous source, writes that Pavel quarreled with two men, possibly from Ukraine, over the situation in the South-East of the country. The first clash happened in a bar, but it ended quickly, journalists say.
The video, which Life published on April 22, shows that the situation was quite peaceful until Usanov and one of his offenders began to take turns “as a joke” to practice hand-to-hand combat techniques on each other. It is obvious that everyone in the bar was in varying degrees of intoxication. Their fight stopped for a few seconds, the men bickered for a while. Then (perhaps there was a splice or delay in the recording at this point) an unknown man with short hair in dark clothes picks up Usanov and abruptly throws him to the floor.
MK claims that the clash continued near Usanov’s house. The three attackers hit him from behind and beat him until they were driven off by security guards at the apartment complex. Although it is likely that the musician received a serious head injury after a fall in a bar. At the same time, Usanov cannot be called an unsportsmanlike person. The musician regularly kept in shape by practicing hand-to-hand combat and going to the gym.
After the attack, Pavel asked his family not to be scared and refused to go to the hospital, claiming that he would recover on his own. The very next day, Usanov was forced to see doctors - his condition worsened sharply. After examination, Usanov was urgently sent to Sklif for surgery, after which the musician fell into a coma, from which the doctors were unable to get him out.
The next day, police detained one of the suspects in the attack. He turned out to be a 39-year-old resident of the Solnechnogorsk district of the Moscow region, Maxim Dobry, who works as a transportation manager. In the Life video, it is difficult to determine how old Usanov’s offender is. Initially, the suspect faced eight years in prison for causing grievous bodily harm, but now the charge has been reclassified as “grievous bodily harm resulting in the death of the victim through negligence.”
For Donbass
Even before the start of the Ukrainian events, Usanov took a pronounced patriotic position. In particular, he, together with Evgeny Fedorov and Nikolai Starikov, took part in the all-Russian action “Media - stop lying,” which was carried out by the National Liberation Movement in 2013. During the rally, Usanov unequivocally condemned the policies of Western countries in the post-Soviet space.
Young Pasha Usanov during one of Michael Jackson's visits to Russia
According to MK, the Investigative Committee was initially confident in the “Ukrainian” version of the conflict. But journalists wrote about this, citing an “unnamed source”; there were no official statements during the two weeks that Usanov was in a coma.
MK’s version was also confirmed by Usanov’s close friend Zakhar Prilepin. He was the first to announce a “Ukrainian trace” in the conflict that led to the death of the musician, in a blog on REN-TV:
“Pasha was sitting in a bar, discussing exactly the same topics that we discussed with him - Donbass. It hurt us with him - and, there is nothing to hide, we talked and talk about it often. In the cafe there was someone who , apparently, they didn’t like the conversation. They approached Pasha and hit him on the head. Face to face with him, the killer had much less chance to stand up for himself.
Result: fracture of the base of the skull and intracerebral hematoma. Three weeks in a coma. The other day his wife Yulia asked him to pray for the doctors. Today Pasha died without waking up from a coma. People have multiplied who kill for a word, for a position, for courage.
He did not take up arms. He helped the children."
Prilepin’s publication was picked up by the official representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maria Zakharova. On her Facebook, she wrote that Usanov’s killers will have neither respect nor European values until they “stop shooting people on Maidans, burning in trade union houses and killing in bars on national and ideological grounds,” clearly hinting at the ethnicity of the attackers :
A few hours after the publication of “MK” and almost a day after Prilepin’s post, the Investigative Committee released an official statement from its representative Vladimir Markin. He rejected the version about the interethnic background of the conflict, citing the “personal enmity” that arose between Usanov and Dobry:
“Of course, as part of the investigation, all versions of what happened will be checked, but at this stage it is premature to draw clear conclusions about the motive and circumstances of the crime. Moreover, the investigation can now state that the version of a conflict due to differences in views on the situation in Donbass has not found its way confirmation. So far, the version of the conflict based on personal hostility is confirmed."
Contrary to the statement of the Investigative Committee, on April 22, Life published information about the attacker’s membership in one of the nationalist groups, which was established after analyzing his body tattoos. If Usanov came into conflict with representatives of Russian or Ukrainian right-wing radical associations, a “political” version of the murder is more than likely. Many neo-Nazi associations sharply criticized the Donbass militias, and some radicals (for example, Roman Zukhel and other Azov militants) went to the South-East of Ukraine to fight the “Russians” and “Vata”. On April 22 with his new publication this confirmed and Zakhar Prilepin:
“Progressive publicists, I see, have become excited and are writing long letters about the murdered Pasha. It is clear to them in advance that Pasha was “simply killed.” I repeat to you once again that there was a wild, almost to the point of a fight, argument with two trans-Ukrainians on the topic of Donbass. There is there are many witnesses to this. Then Pasha came out and was attacked from behind. If this is such a coincidence, then... But I don’t really believe in such coincidences, no matter what Markin says.”
In August last year, the lead singer of “Lube” Nikolai Rastorguev was banned from entering the country by the Ukrainian authorities, and in January of this year, the entire work of the group was subject to sanctions - their songs were prohibited from being played in public places and even from being sung in karaoke bars. In a comment to Gazeta.ru, the leader of Lyube asked not to rush to conclusions until the investigation is completed. According to him, the band’s bassist was “a completely non-aggressive and open person who did a lot of charity work and creativity.”
Alexander Shaganov, the author of the lyrics of the hits of the Lyube group, also remembers the human qualities of the musician. He is sure that Usanov “died in battle”:
Music in war
The bass guitarist of "Lube" has never hidden his position regarding the conflict in Donbass. Back in 2014, when the DPR declared its independence, Pavel, along with a small group of artists, went there to perform at a festive concert.
Acquaintances and friends of Usanov say that the musician not only paid great attention to the topic of Donbass, but was closely involved in the fate of children who did not become refugees and remained to live in war conditions. In 2015, a charity concert “Big Donbass” took place, and in the same year the musician twice held the children’s music competition “Native Spaces,” which took place right during the bombing of Donbass cities. Usanov also helped organize excursions for children from Donbass to Russian cities, and in an interview he shared his impressions of communicating with young talents, whom he tried to place in the country's leading music universities.
Usanov at the "Big Donbass" festival, August 15, 2015
Artem Artemov, editor-in-chief of the Russian Word magazine, in an interview with MK, emphasized that Pavel never took up arms - all his trips to Donbass concerned exclusively children and charity. According to him, in 2014, when the Ukrainian army was constantly bombing the Donetsk region, Usanov went to orphanages and hospitals to see sick and wounded children.
Fans of the band and Pavel himself took the tragedy in the musician’s family very closely. When he ended up in intensive care, many responded to the request of Usanov’s wife and sent money to his family.
Pavel Usanov, who left behind a wife and two children (he spoke very touchingly about their upbringing in one of his last videos), was buried in his native Novocheboksarsk on April 21.
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On Monday, October 23, the Dmitrov City Court of the Moscow Region found Maxim Dobroy guilty of the murder of bass guitarist of the Lyube group Pavel Usanov. The man was sentenced to one year and nine months of restriction of freedom and a fine of 700 thousand rubles. Court spokeswoman Natalya Osipova clarified that Dobry had one month left to serve - the judge decided to count each day of arrest as two days of restriction of freedom.
The term “restriction of freedom” implies a number of prohibitions. The convicted person is prohibited from leaving his place of residence at a certain time of the day, visiting any places, traveling outside the municipality, attending public events, or changing his place of work. In this case, the convicted person is obliged to regularly appear at the supervisory state body for registration.
Fairness of the verdict
Many decided that the sentence for the musician's killer was too lenient. Associate Professor of the Department of Civil and Business Law of the Russian Legal Academy of the Ministry of Justice Andrei Nekrasov, in a conversation with the 360 website, explained why the punishment can be considered fair. As part of the case, the court found that the accused did not intend to kill the victim. There was a fight with mutual beatings, and death occurred as a result of a confluence of various circumstances not directly related to the fight.
It is precisely because of the circumstances of the tragedy and the very article under which Dobry was tried, namely “Causing death by negligence,” that the verdict looks quite fair in a legal sense. The court also took into account the convict’s long stay in custody - Dobry was under arrest throughout the investigation.
Andrei Nekrasov mentioned a similar criminal case. In April 2011, three-time world champion in mixed martial arts Rasul Mirzaev attacked 19-year-old law college graduate Ivan Agafonov near the capital's Garage nightclub. The young man fell and hit the back of his head on a storm drain grate. Three days later, in a coma, Ivan Agafonov died in the hospital. Then Mirzaev was also sentenced to restriction of freedom, only for a slightly longer period - two years. The lawyer associates the hype around the Maxim Dobroy case and the guilty verdict with the popularity of the Lyube group.
Of course, the popularity of the musical group of which the deceased was a member gives resonance to the current story.
Andrey Nekrasov.
Criminal case
On April 2, 2016, bass guitarist of the Lyube group Pavel Usanov celebrated the birth of a friend’s daughter at the Altona restaurant, located in the village of Ozeretskoye, Dmitrovsky district, Moscow region. At a bar, he got into an argument with two drunk customers. A verbal conflict escalated into a brawl, but a serious fight was avoided. A few hours later, Usanov was attacked near the nearby Mechta residential complex, where the musician lived. He was hit in the temple, after which the man fell and hit his head on the asphalt. He was hospitalized with a fracture of the base of the skull. Soon Usanov fell into a coma.
Investigators quickly identified the attacker. It turned out to be local resident Maxim Dobry, who did not take part in the brawl, but was a witness to it. According to law enforcement officers, personal hostility arose between the musician and the attackers, after which Dobry decided to beat Usanov. The musician was in a coma for almost three weeks, and on April 19 he died at the Sklifosovsky Research Institute without regaining consciousness.
In connection with the death of Pavel Usanov, a criminal case was opened on intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm resulting in death, but soon the article was reclassified to a more lenient one - “Causing death by negligence.” The maximum penalty for this crime is two years in prison. Investigators decided that the cause of the man’s death was not the attack itself, but a blow to his head on the asphalt.
During the consideration of the criminal case, Maxim Dobry denied his involvement in the crime. According to him, he was relaxing at the Altona restaurant with a friend. There he met Pavel Usanov, after which the musician joined the feast. The men drank together for a while and then went their separate ways. Dobry also said that Usanov had an argument with two Ukrainians that evening. Immediately after the brawl, the accused allegedly left the establishment and never saw the musician again. The court did not agree with his position.
And the detainee’s relatives and friends refuse to believe that he was involved in the attack.
Terrible news for fans of the Lyube group - the band's permanent bass guitarist Pavel Usanov was hospitalized in serious condition. He worked in the Luber company since 1996, and true fans adored him no less than the soloist, the legendary Nikolai Rastorguev. And now Pavel’s life hangs by a thread. After a banal domestic conflict, he was hospitalized in critical condition at the Sklifosovsky Institute.
Pavel Usanov.
HELP "MK"
Pavel Usanov was born in Novocheboksarsk. Graduated from the Kirov School of Arts, Academy of Music. Gnesins and graduate school. He played jazz in Moscow in the Manhattan group, then in the Phonograph Jazz Band of Sergei Zhilin. In 1996, an advertisement appeared in newspapers that, in connection with the tragic death of bass guitarist Alexander Nikolaev, the Lyube group was announcing a competition for a new performer. After he was noticed as part of a jazz quartet, Pavel passed the competition and became the bass guitarist of “Lube”. He actively writes music for documentaries, including those about the military. He is the founder and leader of the Cultural and Educational Movement “Promotion of Creative Education” foundation and the “Native Spaces” movement. He also gives concerts with his own group “Counter Boy”, but in 2012 he changes the composition and then becomes a soloist in his group.
Evil irony of fate - . And many friends of the detainee claim that the character of Maxim the Good fully corresponds to his last name: he won’t hurt a fly, he won’t say too much...
Maxim Dobry.
But, apparently, that evening the word dropped by someone clearly turned out to be superfluous.
The Lyube group recently returned from tour; a concert was scheduled for April 3 in Ramenskoye, near Moscow. And on the eve of the weekend, Pavel was invited to a celebration with his best friend Alexander. The men are not only friends, but also neighbors: they live in the same house in the “Dream” residential complex, in the village of Ozeretskoye, Dmitrovsky district, Moscow region. Alexander invited Pavel to a restaurant to celebrate the birth of his son.
The event began in the afternoon and continued until the establishment closed. Despite the fact that the comrades were already pretty “under the driver” by the time the restaurant closed, everyone behaved with dignity. The hero of the occasion, unable to withstand the stress of such a joyful day for himself, fell asleep in the billiard room, and the musician went home (luckily he lives nearby).
Everything happened on the way to the house, almost at the entrance. Unexpectedly, Usanov was attacked by three unknown men. Perhaps there was some reason - someone hurt someone or hooked someone with a word. In any case, the forces were absolutely unequal, and the bass guitarist got a lot of trouble. It is unclear how all this would have ended if the nearby security guards of the residential complex had not paid attention to the screams and noise. They recaptured the musician from the hooligans.
Pavel was hospitalized in critical condition. Alas, not right away. He himself did not want to disturb the doctors, he told his family that he would get better. But on Saturday Usanov became very ill. First he was taken to a local hospital, then urgently transported to Sklif. Diagnosis: brain contusion, skull fracture. On Sunday night, the musician underwent emergency surgery. Doctors gave cautiously optimistic forecasts.
The entire Lyube team is in shock. But despite this, the artists had no intention of canceling the concert in Ramenskoye until Sunday evening. Paul would not forgive them for this.
The police, after viewing video cameras and interviewing witnesses, quickly detained the suspect. But there are still more questions than answers here. 38-year-old Maxim Dobry lives in the village of Chashnikovo, and is a transportation manager for a freight company. From Chashnikovo to Ozeretskoye it takes no more than half an hour, but it is completely unclear why the man went to the neighboring area. Looking for adventure? But the characteristics of friends and acquaintances look almost perfect: a real gentleman, loves children, dotes on his daughter (born in December). Breeds dogs. In a word, he doesn’t look at all like a person who gets into a fight for no reason.
The remaining participants in the attack are still being sought. Perhaps they will deign to explain why Usanov did not please them so much. Dobry refused to testify.
The widow of Pavel Usanov, a member of the Lyube group, who died on April 19, Yuliana is experiencing the loss of her loved one. According to the woman, what happened to the bass guitarist in a bar near Moscow was a complete accident. However, the day before, Pavel's mother had a bad dream about her son.
Juliana and Pavel got married in 2013. The musician's wife also played the guitar and sang songs. Shortly before his death, Usanov signed up his wife for the casting of the television project “The Voice”. Juliana says that now she will have to go there for Pavel. The woman remembered that on the day when the fight occurred, Pavel did everything that was unusual for him.
According to Yuliana, during Lent, Usanov agreed to go with his friend Alexander to celebrate the birth of his daughter.
“I didn’t try to dissuade her and left on business. And when she returned, she found her husband at Alexander’s house drinking cognac, which, like other strong drinks, he never really liked. I became very tense and began to persuade him to go home. The husband promised that he would be there soon, but he never came,” said Usanov’s wife.
Pavel was brought home intoxicated by the village security officers. Only in the morning at Dmitrov’s hospital it became clear that he had a fracture of the frontal bone and numerous brain contusions. Thanks to the leader of the Lyube group, Nikolai Rastorguev, Usanov was taken by ambulance to the Sklifosovsky Research Institute.
Usanov’s wife said that her husband became involved in a brawl with two residents of Odessa in a bar. Pavel and his neighbor Alexander celebrated the birth of their son there. Usanov accidentally hit a man behind the bar with his elbow. The bar visitor reacted aggressively to such a gesture. It turned out to be Maxim Dobry, who is now suspected of brutally beating the musician.
“When the establishment began to close, Alexander, without saying a word, got up and went home. Odessa residents also left. Pasha, Dobry and his friend remained at the bar, who had just called a taxi. When the car arrived, Dobry refused to leave. But I know for sure that if he had attacked my husband alone, Pasha would have instantly laid him down on his shoulder. He was definitely attacked by several people, which is confirmed by a witness who watched everything from the window of her house,” Yuliana revealed the details of what happened to Usanov. According to the woman, the musician was beaten professionally - so that no traces were left.
Pavel’s wife recalls that that evening Pavel left home without a cross, that is, he was left without protection. And shortly before that, he starred in a video with a guitar that he inherited from a tragically deceased member of “Lube”. Nikolai Rastorguev previously also claimed that there is something mystical in the death of the bass guitarist.
“I worried for a long time: what if we lost precious time by not immediately calling an ambulance.” But the doctors said that the injury was so serious that it was impossible to prevent the processes destroying the brain,” Yuliana said in a frank interview with Express Gazeta.
Let us recall that doctors fought for Usanov’s life for about 17 days; they performed a craniotomy operation, but were unable to save the musician’s life. From his first marriage, Pavel left behind a daughter, Sofia, and a son, Vasya.