Soldier detained in Mykolaiv region on suspicion of killing two fellow service members

The Mykolaiv regional police reported this on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.

"A verbal conflict between the servicemen occurred while they were consuming alcoholic beverages. The 35-year-old man fired shots from automatic weapons at two opponents. The men died at the scene," the statement said.

On the night of May 11-12, Police Department No. 4 of the Mykolaiv District Police Directorate received a report about fatal gunshot wounds sustained by two servicemen at their duty location.

Investigators, operational officers, and forensic experts from the regional police headquarters, as well as a joint investigative team from the local police unit, worked at the scene.

Law enforcement officers established that the previous evening, a 35-year-old soldier and other servicemen aged 58 and 38 were on duty. During joint alcohol consumption, a conflict arose between the men. In the course of the dispute, the attacker took his assigned automatic weapon and fired at his fellow servicemen.

The victims died at the scene from gunshot wounds. Police seized the weapon used in the crime – an AK-74 rifle – along with spent cartridge cases, which were sent for forensic examination.

Operational officers brought the 35-year-old suspect to the police station, where investigators detained him under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine.

For the intentional murder of two people, the suspect faces a prison sentence ranging from 15 years to life imprisonment.

Photo credit: National Police