Gunmen Open Fire at Russian Military Range, Killing 11 People

Two men shot at soldiers at a Russian military firing range near Ukraine on Saturday, killing 11 people and injuring 15 others before being killed, Russia’s Defense Ministry said.

The shooting took place in the Belgorod region of southwestern Russia, which borders Ukraine, the ministry said in a statement. The two men, from an unnamed ex-Soviet country, opened fire at soldiers during target practice and were killed by return fire.

The ministry called the incident a terrorist attack. The shooting came as a hasty mobilization of Russian troops in Ukraine ordered by President Vladimir Putin, a move that triggered protests and caused hundreds of thousands of people to flee Russia.

Putin said Friday that more than 220,000 reservists already have been called up to recruit 300,000 people. He promised the mobilization would be over in two weeks.

Activists and rights groups report that the draft office is calling up people without any army experience, some of whom are also unfit for service because of health problems, despite Russian leaders’ announcement that only people who have recently served in the military will be drafted.

Some freshly called-up reservists have released videos of them being forced to sleep on the floor, or even outside, and given rusty weapons before being sent to the front lines.

Russian media reported that some of those mobilized were sent into battle without receiving proper training and were quickly killed.
The authorities recognize that mobilization efforts are often poorly organized and promise to improve the situation.