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Deserter responsible for killing fellow soldiers shot during detention - official

The Defense Ministry has launched an onsite investigation, the Eastern Military District said

KHABAROVSK, September 30. /TASS/. A soldier who had shot several fellow servicemen in the Amur Region was killed during an attempt to detain him, the press-service of the Eastern Military District said on Saturday.

"An anti-terrorist unit of the military garrison of the Eastern Military District tracked down and sealed off an armed soldier who earlier deserted from a proving ground in the Amur Region. During the detention attempt he offered armed resistance, thus posing a direct threat to the personnel of the anti-terrorist unit. Shoot-to-kill orders followed," the press service said.

The deserter received a lethal wound. The Defense Ministry has launched an onsite investigation, the Eastern Military District said.

On Friday, the Defense Ministry said that during a routine night-time firing practice at a shooting range in the Amur region on September 29 a soldier fired a submachine-gun round at a group of servicemen waiting for the command to take firing positions. An officer and two soldiers suffered lethal wounds. Another two servicemen were taken to hospital. The deserter escaped from the shooting range.

The authorities of the city of Belogorsk, the Amur Region, said the incident occurred at a local military unit. Mayor Stanislav Melyukov said the deserter was armed with an automatic rifle and four loaded magazines.

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