Russian conscript shoots dead eight soldiers in military base: Russian ministry

• Two are badly injured in the shooting incident.
• The conscript turned his gun on his fellow soldiers after having a nervous breakdown.

(MOSCOW) A Russian conscript serving at a military base in the far east of the country shot dead at least eight other soldiers and badly injured at least two others, Russian Defence ministry reported on Friday.

The Russian conscript has been detained after he shot dead the soldiers and wounded two more at a military base in Russia's Far East.

The conscript turned his gun on his fellow soldiers after having a nervous breakdown, the defence ministry was quoted as saying.

The defence ministry statement reported by Interfax did not say why the conscript had suffered a nervous breakdown, but said the shooting had occurred at a time when the guard was being changed at the base.