You're reading: Crimean investigators probe death of Ukrainian army major

A criminal inquiry has been launched after an army officer was shot during a row by a Russian serviceman at a military base in Crimea, according to the regional office of the Russian Investigative Committee (RIC).

“The RIC authorities in the Republic of Crimea have opened a criminal
case under Article 105 part one of the Russian Criminal Code over the
murder of Ukrainian Army Major Stanislav Karachayevsky,” spokesman for
the RIC Crimean office Andrei Vasilkov told Interfax on Monday.

The incident occurred in the village of Novofedorivka in the Saky district at around midnight on April 6, investigators said.

“The preliminary theory is that Ukrainian servicemen, who were in a
state of alcohol intoxication outside the checkpoint of their former
military base, started an argument with Russian army servicemen,”
Vasilkov said.

A Russian serviceman who was injured used his weapon in self-defense and shot Karachayevsky, he said.

“A team of investigators from the Saky investigative department are
currently working at the scene. After the urgent investigative procedure
the criminal case files will be sent to the RIC military investigative
authorities,” Vasilkov said.