Phuket Police Use Rubber Bullets on Russian Woman

On the island of Phuket, police were compelled to open fire on Russian citizen Marina Ryabova, who was threatening them with a knife, reports NewsBox. 

An incident involving a Russian woman, Marina Ryabova, occurred on the island of Phuket, Thailand. The woman drew attention from local residents due to her unusual behavior: shouting incomprehensible phrases and attempting to enter a private villa. Bystanders alerted the police, but attempts to reason with the 56-year-old tourist were unsuccessful.

Ryabova grabbed a kitchen knife from the bar called The Eyeball and began threatening the police officers. The area was cordoned off, and a translator was called in to initiate negotiations. However, the situation escalated when the woman pressed the knife to her stomach. An officer used a rubber bullet gun, injuring Ryabova in the arm. This allowed them to detain her.

The tourist was taken to Thalang Hospital, where it was determined she was likely under the influence of alcohol or drugs. It later emerged that Ryabova had arrived for the EDC Thai 2025 electronic music festival, where her troubles supposedly began. She was scheduled to leave the country on January 27th. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.