Russian authorities have launched a major manhunt for a soldier accused of killing six comrades in the occupied region of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine.

       According to local reports, the 57-year-old man, identified as Yuri G. by the Telegram channel Baza, was among the hundreds of convicts Vladimir Putin recruited to strengthen his invading forces.

       Yuri G. Allegedly shot six service members of a howitzer artillery battalion on May 4, 2024 before escaping – with authorities warning he may have an AK-12 assault rifle and ammunition with him.

       The alleged slayings took place in an unspecified area of the Donetsk People's Republic which Putin unilaterally annexed with a sham referendum in September 2022.

       Officials have launched a manhunt across the border regions of Belgorod, Rostov and Voronezh, according to Baza.

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       News of the slaughter emerged on the same day another officer of the Russia trial appeared in court accused of killing his subordinates in January last year.

       Sergeant Dmitry Lobovikov was an acting platoon commander who allegedly killed seven servicemen and injured at least another 10 during celebrations for the New Year.

       Russian newspaper Kommersant reported that Lobovikov was unimpressed with the celebrations he discovered while checking in on the barracks.

       He allegedly grabbed an RGD-5 grenade and pulled out its pin before asking one of the servicemen to put it back only to be told by one of them he had not been trained to do so yet.

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       A disgruntled Lobovikov then walked back into the corridor before allegedly throwing the grenade into a nearby room where members of another platoon had been sleeping.

       The resulting explosion detonated gas cylinders kept at the barracks, killing seven soldiers and destroying half the building.

       The location of the incident has not been publicly released but his case is being heard at the Western District Military Court, which has jurisdiction over Russian regions bordering Ukraine.

       Lobovikov's lawyer maintained his client found the grenade in the corridor and became unconscious after an altercation with a soldier during which the explosive rolled into the room.