Russia shot dead conscript who refused to fight in Kursk region - mass media

The tragedy occurred on 21 October, when the lieutenant of the 394th Motorised Rifle Regiment took off the safety of his AK-12 assault rifle and opened fire on a line of soldiers. One of the bullets hit Antonov in the head, which caused his death.

According to the relatives of the deceased, the cause of the tragedy could have been Antonov's refusal to sign a contract and go to the combat zone in the Kursk region. The relatives claim that the young man was subjected to abuse at the training ground: he was beaten with iron rods on his arms and neck in an attempt to force him to sign a contract. In addition to the gunshot wound, Antonov's body showed numerous signs of beatings.

The Ilyinsky training ground was used to train soldiers before they were sent to the border with Ukraine. This case became one of the evidences of cruel treatment and coercion characteristic of the Russian armed forces.

We shall remind you that Russia is actively using conscripts to defend the border in the Kursk Region. During the hostilities, the Ukrainian military repeatedly took Russian conscripts prisoner, which testifies to the insufficient training and low morale of these units.