A soldier in Russian-annexed Crimea has killed four people in an apparently random shooting spree, according to the Moscow-installed regional governor Mikhail Razvozhayev.

The gunman first opened fire on his fellow soldiers, killing one and wounding another, before turning his weapon on civilians in the village of Khmelnytske.

Three civilians — two men aged 71 and 59, and a 64-year-old woman — were killed, and three other people were injured. The attacker has been detained, and an investigation into the motive is underway.

The identity of the attacker has not been publicly disclosed, and officials have not revealed which branch of the Russian armed forces he served in. Razvozhayev said doctors were “doing everything possible to save” the injured, and urged the public to rely only on official information and not to “spread unverified rumors” about the shooting.

Russia has controlled the Crimean peninsula since 2014, a move widely rejected by the international community as an illegal occupation. Russia maintains a significant military presence there, which Ukraine has repeatedly targeted with drone and missile strikes.

The incident highlights the volatile security situation in the region, where tensions remain high amid ongoing conflict and military buildup.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk