Russian Officer Kills Three Own Soldiers With Grenade in Donbas

A Russian military officer is under investigation for killing three of his own soldiers by locking them in a cage and throwing a grenade at them during a dispute in Russian-occupied Donbas.

The incident was reported by the Russian Telegram channel Baza.

According to the Baza, the officer first argued with the three men, then forced them into a metal enclosure — referred to by troops as “the chicken coop”— before detonating a hand grenade.

Russian investigators opened a criminal case against the officer, identified as 42-year-old Vladimir Z., on April 25.

The altercation reportedly took place in late July 2024 at a temporary Russian military position in Donbas.

On that day, the officer had ordered the three servicemen — 35-year-old Artem K., 37-year-old Roman Ch., and 23-year-old Maxim M. — to deliver supplies to the front line.

When they refused, he retaliated by locking them in the cage and throwing an F-1 fragmentation grenade inside.

All three soldiers sustained multiple shrapnel injuries.

One died at the scene, and the other two later succumbed to their wounds.

Authorities reportedly detained the officer only months later.

Low morale, harsh discipline, and coercion remain widespread in the Russian military.

Soldiers who disobey orders risk being confined in improvised detention facilities or assigned to high-risk assault operations with little chance of survival.

Russian military units have also faced accusations of extrajudicial punishments, including so-called “zeroing” — a term used to describe unlawful executions of soldiers for insubordination.