Russian accused of killing Ukrainian soldiers – DW – October 23, 2024

Bavarian prosecutors said Wednesday a Russian man has been charged with murder for stabbing two wounded Ukrainian soldiers earlier this year.

Officials said the man was an ardent Russian nationalist, fully supported Moscow's war in Ukraine and knew about soldiers' military service.

What do you know about the case?

The soldiers were found in April with serious stab wounds outside a shopping center in Murnau am See, Bavaria.

One of the victims, 36 years old, died at the scene, while the other, 23, succumbed to his injuries later in hospital.

Shortly afterwards, the police arrested a 57-year-old Russian citizen in his home; he remains in custody in Munich.

Prosecutors say the three men were drinking together when an argument broke out over the situation in Ukraine, which highlighted the suspect's hostile attitude toward the soldiers.

“The defendant felt his national pride had been hurt,” the public prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

He then “decided to kill the two heavily intoxicated Ukrainians in a surprise attack,” prosecutors added, and retrieved a knife from his nearby apartment.

“As a supporter of exaggerated Russian nationalism [the suspect] “Unconditionally supports the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine.”

The two Ukrainians were taken to Germany for treatment after being injured in the conflict. They had been operated on in a hospital in Murnau and were recovering in the city.

According to the public prosecutor's office, both victims were significantly “physically impaired” as a result of the operations.

rc/wmr (Reuters, AP)