Russian troops massacre seven after being denied alcohol

Two soldiers from Russia’s 30th Motorized Rifle Brigade shot and killed seven civilians sheltering in a basement in Pokrovskoye, according to the Ukrainian newspaper Pravda. The attack occurred during the night of December 20–21.

Pravda reported that the soldiers, identified as Rinat Galimzyanov and Alexei Agafonov, approached Oleksandr Zavadsky and his son Yaroslav while they were hiding with others.

The soldiers demanded alcohol. When the family said they had none, the soldiers opened fire, killing both men on the spot.

After the initial shooting, the attackers entered the basement where other civilians were hiding and continued firing, Pravda said. Children were among those killed.

Russian troops massacre seven after being denied alcohol

Only one person survived the attack. Pyotr Mierontsev was wounded but managed to stay alive by pretending to be dead until the soldiers left.

The perpetrators were detained on December 23 after Mierontsev escaped the area and testified about what happened that night, Pravda reported.

Following his account, the two soldiers were taken into custody and transferred to the Selidov detention center.