A Russian soldier who was medically discharged from Ukraine was accused of firing at a group of children in southern Russia’s Volgograd region, local media reported Monday, citing authorities and the victims’ relatives.
A 12-year-old boy was hospitalized with a gunshot wound in the leg, according to the news website v1.ru.
The outlet said several anonymous law enforcement sources confirmed that a shooting took place in the rural locality of Ugolsky on Friday evening.
A 48-year-old male identified as an active contract soldier and participant in Russia’s war in Ukraine has reportedly been detained in connection with the shooting.
Local authorities said the alleged shooter had been discharged due to an injury sustained in Ukraine, according to v1.ru.
The children’s relatives were quoted by the outlet claiming that the shooting was unprovoked.
“The police arrived an hour later, they were initially scared of going into the house in fear that he would start shooting,” the relatives said.
“The shooter has now been detained… He denied it at first, but then admitted to the shooting,” they said.
Military prosecutors and investigators in the Volgograd region have not yet commented on the alleged incident.
It was not possible to independently verify the report.