Gunmen kill 11 in attack on Russian trainee soldiers

Gunmen have killed 11 people in an attack at a Russian military training ground on Saturday.

During a firearms training session, two men opened fire on a group who had volunteered to fight in Ukraine, state-owned news agency Ria reported.

The attackers were from a former Soviet republic, the Russian defense ministry said, but did not give further details.

They were also shot dead during the incident in the Belgorod region of Russia, which borders Ukraine.

A further 15 people were wounded.

“During a firearms training session with individuals who voluntarily expressed a desire to participate in the special military operation [against Ukraine], the terrorists opened fire with small arms on the personnel of the unit,” Ria cited a defense ministry statement as saying.

“As a result of the shooting, 11 people were fatally wounded. Another 15 people with wounds of varying severity were taken to a medical facility,” it said.

The local governor said no residents of the Belgorod region had been killed or injured.

Last month Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a mobilization of 300,000 Russians who had previously done compulsory military service.

The order sparked protests across Russia and a surge of people attempting to leave the country.

Soon after the mobilization was announced, a military recruiter was shot at an enlistment office in Siberia.

Last week, Putin announced that over 200,000 people had already been mobilized, and he saw no need for additional mobilization.

Agencies