Soldier kills four in gun rampage in Russian-occupied Crimea

What the report says

A Russian soldier has killed four people in Crimea, according to the Moscow-installed regional governor, in what BBC World News described as an apparently random shooting. The incident took place in Russian-annexed Crimea, where Russia has maintained control since 2014, though most of the international community views the peninsula as occupied Ukrainian territory.

Governor Mikhail Razvozhayev said the gunman first opened fire on fellow soldiers, killing one and injuring another. He then allegedly shot civilians in the village of Khmelnytske, killing two men aged 71 and 59 and a 64-year-old woman. Three additional people were reported injured, and officials said the attacker had been detained.

Authorities have not publicly identified the soldier or said which branch of the armed forces he served in. The motive is still under investigation, and officials did not say whether the number of dead could rise. Razvozhayev urged the public to rely on official updates and avoid speculation about the suspect or possible reasons for the attack.

The shooting highlights the continuing heavy Russian military presence in Crimea, which has also been the target of Ukrainian drone and missile attacks. BBC World News reported the case as one of the latest violent incidents in the region, where wartime security concerns and competing claims over territory remain acute.