Russian conscript, 19, killed after refusing to fight in Kursk Oblast — report

Journalists discovered that a lieutenant of the 394th Motor Rifle Regiment shot soldier Artem Antonov from Tatarstan with a Kalashnikov rifle. The incident took place on Oct. 21 at the Illinsky training ground of the 60th Separate Motor Rifle Brigade in Primorsky Krai.

The report states that Antonov was sent to the training camp to replace motorized infantry units battling to oust Ukrainian forces from Kursk Oblast. According to pretrial materials obtained by the publication, the lieutenant removed the safety from his AK-12 rifle during a weapons handling briefing and fired into a formation of soldiers. The bullet struck Antonov in the head.

A relative of the conscript believes Antonov was executed for refusing to sign a contract and go to war against Ukraine.

“We are all certain that the shooting is connected to his refusal to sign the contract,” Antonov’s family member said.

“He told his friends he was being pressured [to sign up].”

Other family members also told the outlet that commanders repeatedly tortured Antonov for the same reason.

“They bullied him, put him on duty for eight consecutive days, denied him medical assistance, and beat him with iron rods on his arms and neck," they recounted. 

"He shared this with close friends in a private [chat] group, which was immediately deleted after his death."

When the family received the body, they found not only a bullet wound in the forehead but also bruises on his body. The family knows the name of the officer who fired the shot, but they fear revealing it due to personal safety concerns, the journalists added.