Russian Soldier Kills Four in Crimea Shooting

A Russian soldier opened fire on fellow servicemen and civilians in the annexed Crimean peninsula on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, killing four people and wounding four others before being taken into custody, according to local authorities. The Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, Mikhail Razvozhayev, confirmed the attack occurred in the village of Khmelnytske.

The shooting spree began when the serviceman targeted his own unit, killing one soldier and wounding another. He then turned his weapon on civilians, killing three and wounding three more. The four wounded victims, including one soldier, were hospitalized with serious injuries. Razvozhayev stated that medical personnel were doing everything possible to save them.

Following the violence, the gunman fled into nearby woodlands, prompting urgent warnings in local chat groups for residents to stay indoors. After an intensive search, law enforcement officers detained the suspect. Authorities have not provided a motive for the attack.

Independent media outlets, citing information circulated in local chat groups, identified the alleged shooter as 21-year-old Maxim Alistratov from Russia’s Saratov region. The reports, which could...