Russian-controlled Crimea soldier opens fire in Sevastopol village, killing four
A serviceman stationed in Russian-held Crimea shot fellow troops and civilians in the village of Khmelnytske, leaving four dead and four injured, according to Sevastopol governor Mikhail Razvozhayev.
In the village of Khmelnytske, part of the Russian-administered city of Sevastopol, a serviceman opened fire on both comrades and local residents. The first burst of gunfire struck fellow soldiers, resulting in one fatality and one wound. The attacker then shot three civilians, killing them and wounding three additional people.
Sevastopol’s governor, Mikhail Razvozhayev, confirmed the casualties and said the suspect was taken into custody while law-enforcement agencies began probing the case, without offering a motive. The shooting took place in an area that Russia seized from Ukraine in 2014 and that serves as a key foothold for its military operations. Recent Ukrainian strikes have disrupted supply lines to the peninsula, heightening tensions in the region. Razvozhayev did not specify the exact timing of the event.
Why it matters
The attack highlights internal security challenges within Russian forces occupying a contested region of the Ukraine war.
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