Pianist Denis Stelmakh reported that he was subjected to attacked by a street hooligan while on tour in Novosibirsk. According to the artist, late the night before he was returning to the hotel and suddenly an unknown man approached him, accompanied by his lady. The citizen asked for a cigarette, and when there was no cigarette for him, he hit the musician. The pianist reported that he fell to the ground from a blow to the jaw, after which his offender left with his girlfriend.
Stelmakh reported that the incident did not interfere with his performance; he played the concert, despite a slight pain in the cheek area .
“My cheek is swollen, but overall everything is fine,” the musician told “Rising.” “I just never got hit in the face in twenty-eight years.”
The artist added that his Novosibirsk fans now send him numerous messages with words of regret about the behavior of their fellow citizens and admit to some of their own disappointment with Novosibirsk. Stelmakh emphasized that he was not upset because of the incident.