19-year-old Russian draftee shot dead for rejecting deployment to Kursk region

Journalist Andrii Tsaplienko reported this on his Telegram channel, citing Important Stories.

The publication reviewed documents related to the investigation into the killing of 19-year-old conscript Artem Antonov. 

According to these materials, on October 21, at the Illinsky training ground in Primorsky Krai of the Russian Federation, a lieutenant with the 394th Motorized Rifle Regiment fired multiple shots during a briefing, killing the conscript. 

Relatives believe that the murder could have been revenge for Antonov's refusal to sign a contract and go to war in the Kursk region.

"They were mocking him. They put him in a guard for 8 days in a row, did not provide medical care, and beat him with iron rods on his arms and neck. He shared this with his close friends in a closed group, which was deleted immediately after his death. Artem was killed on October 21, we were told about it only on October 23. Apparently, they didn't know how to cover their tracks," the relative said.

When the family received the body of the deceased, they found not only a bullet hole in his forehead, but also bruises. They know the name of the officer who shot him, but they are afraid to disclose it for personal reasons.

Local online communities reported in the obituary that Antonov "decided to give his life for his homeland.”

This incident suggests that Russia may be compelling conscripts to participate in the war against Ukraine, potentially involving war crimes.