runaway paratroopers killed during detention

Both runaways who fled yesterday from a airborne military unit located in the Ulyanovsk Region have been killed. According to Tatarstan’s Ministry of Internal Affairs, yesterday, Almaz Shageev, was killed. The skirmish took place near to Lashi railway crossing, in the Buinsk Region of Tatarstan. The deserters killed three policemen (in total, they killed eight people and wounded several more). Afterwards, the second commando, Sukhorukov, managed to escape. Though, several hours later, near the Cherki-Grishino village, he was killed while trying to put up a fight.

In an interview to journalists, spokesman for airborne troops Nikolai Bragin said that the investigation had found out that Sergeant Shageev and soldier Sukhorukov, while mounting guard, took advantage of the fact that there were no officials at the moment and stole two submachine guns, an AKS-74 and an AKS-135, as well as live ammo. Meanwhile, because of this incident,the commander of 31st Ulyanovsk brigade, Colonel Nikolai Nikulnikov returned from leave. Yesterday, a group of officers from the General Staff and airborne troops with Russian airborne troops’ commander Georgei Shpak at the head arrived. The officers will investigate the circumstances of the event on the spot. Translated by Vera Solovieva

Read the original in Russian: http://www.pravda.ru/main/2002/02/05/36576.html