Policeman killed outside Moscow

A drug bust has gone wrong in Moscow Region, when the suspect gunned down two police operatives and fled the scene

One policeman was killed and another wounded near the village of Yakimovo, Moscow Region, on Sunday. The operatives attempted to arrest a drug trafficking suspect, who opened fire on them and escaped the scene, still remaining at large.

The authorities were alerted of the incident by motorists, who spotted a wounded man lying on the side of the road near the village, Interior Ministry spokeswoman Irina Volk has said. Police deployed to the scene found two fellow operatives in a wooded area near Yakimovo, with one of them succumbing to his injuries before medics arrived.

Preliminary findings indicated that the two operatives attempted to arrest a drug trafficking suspect, who gunned them down and fled the scene. The Interior Ministry has called upon motorists, who were driving past the crime scene at the time the shootout unfold, to share their dashcam videos with the authorities. According to media reports, the suspect fled the scene on a motorbike.

The incident triggered a heavy emergency response, with footage shared by the authorities showing the wooded area swarming with police and forensic experts.

The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal probe, with the suspect now facing charges over attacking the operatives. If found guilty, he may end up sentenced from at least 12 years behind bars to life imprisonment.