Soldier kills four in gun rampage in Russian-occupied Crimea
The region's Moscow-installed governor says the gunman has been detained after firing at fellow soldiers and civilians.
A soldier in Russian-annexed Crimea went on a seemingly random shooting spree, resulting in the deaths of four individuals.
Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-appointed regional governor, reported that the assailant initially fired upon fellow soldiers, killing one and injuring another. Subsequently, the gunman killed three civilians in the village of Khmelnytske: two men, aged 71 and 59, and a 64-year-old woman. Three additional people sustained injuries.
Razvozhayev confirmed that the attacker has been apprehended and an investigation into the motive behind the shooting is underway. The soldier's identity has not been publicly disclosed, nor have local officials released details about the branch of the Russian armed forces he belonged to.
It remains uncertain if the number of fatalities will increase, as Razvozhayev stated that medical professionals are "doing everything possible to save" those wounded in the incident. He also cautioned the public to rely exclusively on official information and to refrain from "spreading unverified rumors" regarding the shooting's motives or the attacker's identity.
Russia has maintained control over Ukraine's Crimean peninsula since 2014. The international community largely rejects this annexation, viewing it as an occupation of Ukrainian territory. Russia maintains a substantial military presence in the region, which has been subjected to drone and missile attacks by Ukraine.