Russian serviceman hospitalized after a shooting, authorities say

A Russian serviceman was hospitalized on Thursday after being shot, according to authorities. The incident occurred in Engels, a city in Russia's Saratov region, following a series of attacks on military personnel and individuals connected to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The regional Investigative Committee did not disclose the serviceman's identity or rank, but confirmed that he was hospitalized and that bullets and cartridge cases were discovered at the location.

Authorities launched a criminal investigation, charging the suspect(s) with attempted murder and illegal arms trafficking. However, they were unable to pinpoint the identity of the attacker. Engels, with a population exceeding 220,000, sits on the eastern bank of the Volga River and houses multiple industrial facilities. Notably, the main base for Russia's nuclear-capable strategic bombers is situated just outside the city.

Engels has been a frequent target of Ukrainian drone attacks, prompting the military to relocate most of its bombers. This attack is part of a pattern of bombings in Russia, many aimed at individuals involved in the 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has accused Kyiv of responsibility for some of these blasts. Last week, a serviceman was killed and his wife wounded by a car bomb on the outskirts of St. Petersburg.

Three weeks prior, the director of a factory supplying drones to the Russian military was seriously injured, and his driver was killed when their vehicle exploded near Yekaterinburg, located 1,400 kilometers east of Moscow. In both instances, authorities did not immediately disclose their suspicions regarding the attackers.