Support The Moscow Times!

Ten Russian Regional Police Fired Over Missing Weapons

Russian police in the southern Rostov region said Monday it had fired 10 of its officers after scores of firearms were found to be missing from an evidence room.

Twelve more officers were deemed “partially” unqualified for the job, and four others received “severe reprimands” following an investigation into the missing weapons, the Rostov regional branch of the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

A spokeswoman for the Rostov branch of the Investigative Committee, Galina Gagalaeva, said two men have been arrested in connection with the case, including a police officer who was in charge of weapons safekeeping, the Interfax news agency reported.

Interior Ministry inspectors had found 246 guns, hunting rifles, traumatic pistols and gas weapons to be missing from a stockpile local police had seized from suspects or received as part of a voluntary gun turn-in program, she was quoted as saying.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysis and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

A Message from The Moscow Times:

Dear readers,

We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."

These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.

Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.

By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more