All news

Altai Territory pays last respects to police killed in line of duty in Dagestan

The flags were flying at half-mast on August 30, which the region had announced a day of mourning

BARNAUL, August 31 (Itar-Tass) — The civil funeral of five special task force police officers killed by a contract service border guard in Dagestan took place in Barnaul on Thursday. It was attended by their relatives, colleagues and friends. Regional governor Alexander Karlin conveyed his condolences to the victims' families. Bishop of Barnaul and Altai Maxim and head of the Interior Ministry's department for the Altai Territory Renat Timerzyanov were present, too.

The flags were flying at half-mast on August 30, which the region had announced a day of mourning.

"Five staff of the special task force center for the Altai Territory died in the line of duty in Dagestan on August 28: Lt-Col Sergei Blynsky, Major Ivan Sobin, Major Alexander Shushakov, Major Viktor Shenkel and Captain Sergei Krivenko," the press service of the regional police department earlier reported.

In all, seven servicemen were killed and another six were wounded in the shootout at the military unit in the village of Belidzhi in Dagestan's Derbent district.

"A contract serviceman, aged 31, opened fire with his service assault rifle at the interior troops guarding the barracks whereupon he entered the barracks and started indiscriminate shooting inside," the Main Military Investigation Department /GVSU/ said.

The attacker was identified as foreman of the guards and logistics unit of the FSB border department for Dagestan Ramazan Aliyev.

"A preliminary probe ascertained Aliyev went on 24-hour duty at 10 o'clock on August 28. An AK-74 assault rifle and two magazines with 50 rounds were issued to him. At around 16:00, he walked up to the checkpoint and fired at least 30 shots at serviceman without apparent reasons," a GVSU official said. Two servicemen were killed and another two were injured.

Aliyev then went to the building accommodating special task force police from the Altai Territory who were in Dagestan on secondment. He fired at least 30 shots there, killing five police and founding another four.

The attacker was killed in return fire.