Resident of Chechnya wounded in servicemen's shooting

In the mountainous Vedeno District of Chechnya, federal servicemen opened automatic fire at a group of local residents, mistakenly taking them for militants. One person was seriously wounded, said a source from the district administration.

According to his story, the incident occurred on May 31 in the area of the dwelling settlement of Duts-Khutor.

"Three local residents were in a forest; and the federals, who were screening the forest, opened fire on them from their submachine guns. The 47-year-old Kyuri Shirvaniev was seriously wounded and underwent a surgery," said the source.

A unit of Special Forces encountered, in the vicinity of Duts-Khutor, three armed men in camouflage uniform, said a source from the Military Commandant's Office of the republic. Having taken hunters for members of illegal armed formations (IAFs), special agents opened automatic fire.

The servicemen, who opened fire, were seconded from the Kemerovo Region, the "Life" reports referring to a source in the republic's power structures.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.