19-year-old Russian conscript Artem Antonov was shot and killed by his commander after reportedly refusing to sign a military contract to fight in Kursk Oblast, the Russian independent outlet IStories reported on Dec. 6.
The incident occurred on October 21 at the "Ilyinsky" training ground of the 60th Motorized Rifle Brigade, where the commander fired into the ranks of soldiers, striking Antonov in the head.
Antonov's relatives claim he faced repeated torture and abuse, including beatings with iron rods, for refusing to sign the contract.
Before his death, Antonov shared details of the abuse in a private social media group, which was deleted shortly after he died.
When the family received his body, they discovered not only a gunshot wound but also multiple bruises, suggesting further mistreatment.
The abuse of Russian soldiers by their commanders and fellow troops since the beginning of the full-scale war in Ukraine has been previously documented. Problems with military hazing and mistreatment of subordinates by their superiors date back to the Soviet era and were also widely reported in Russia's wars in Chechnya.
Kateryna Hodunova
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