Police search turns into deadly shootout with AWOL soldier in Dnipropetrovsk
AWOL soldier wounds two policemen (Photo: Ukraine's National Police)
An AWOL soldier opened fire on law enforcement officers, wounding two KORD special forces commandos before committing suicide in a settlement within Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, the National Police of Ukraine announced on July 16.
On the morning of July 16, law enforcement officers were conducting a sanctioned search at the residence of a man who has been classified as AWOL (absent without official leave) since September 2024. The National Police noted that officers were executing the operation within the framework of a criminal investigation involving large-scale fraud and the illegal trafficking of persons across the state border.
The suspect opened targeted fire at the responding police special forces unit before turning the weapon on himself. Two KORD commandos sustained gunshot wounds as a result of the sudden ambush.
The wounded officers were immediately hospitalized and are receiving medical care. National Police representatives confirmed that their injuries are not life-threatening.
"Investigators, forensics experts, and other specialized services are working at the scene. Weapons have been seized from the site of the incident. The documentation of all circumstances surrounding the event is ongoing," law enforcement officials added.
Rising domestic incidents involving AWOL soldiers
This shootout marks the latest in a series of violent domestic incidents involving soldiers absent without official leave:
July 5: In Odesa, a serviceman in AWOL status detonated a hand grenade during a routine document inspection, injuring two law enforcement officers alongside the perpetrator himself.
June 13: The Ministry of Defense announced the official launch of a 100-day grace period, during which servicemen who have left their units without permission can voluntarily return to the ranks of the Ukrainian Armed Forces without facing criminal prosecution.
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