A tragedy occurred in a military unit located in the village of Gromovo in the Priozersk District of the Leningrad Region on the morning of April 19, 2025: two servicemen, a conscript and a contract soldier, were found dead with gunshot wounds to the neck. According to the Fontanka publication, both died from a single shot, which makes the incident especially mysterious. Investigative bodies are considering several versions of what happened, including suicide, an accident, and the consequences of hazing. The investigation is in its early stages, and details remain scant, which raises many questions about security in military units.

According to Fontanka, the bodies of the servicemen were found at about 10:00 a.m. at the unit's location. The investigation established that a bullet fired from a firearm struck both of them: one went right through, while the other got stuck in the soft tissue of the neck. The nature of the wounds and the fact that the shot was a single one complicate the reconstruction of the events. One version suggests that the conscript intended to commit suicide, and the contract soldier tried to stop him, finding himself in the kill zone. Another hypothesis points to a possible accident related to careless handling of a weapon while reloading or cleaning it. A third version, which is particularly disturbing, links the incident to hazing, which could have led to a conflict with a tragic outcome.

The Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation has opened a criminal case under Article 105 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("Murder"), but the final classification will be determined based on the results of the investigation. Military investigators and forensic experts are working at the scene of the incident, studying the trajectory of the bullet, the circumstances of the shot and possible witnesses. The unit's command is refraining from commenting, citing the confidentiality of the investigation. The Russian Ministry of Defense has also not issued an official statement, which is increasing speculation in society.

Such incidents are not uncommon in Russian military units. In 2019, in the Trans-Baikal Territory, a conscript soldier opened fire on his fellow soldiers.