An alarming incident rocked Abakan, Russia, as an unknown man wielding both an axe and a knife went on a violent spree.
Two locals fell victim to his rampage, sustaining injuries that landed them in the hospital.
The assailant’s erratic behaviour caught the attention of bystanders who swiftly alerted the authorities.
A video of the attack was shared on Telegram.
Police moved quickly to detain the attacker, but the condition of the victims remains undisclosed.
The motive behind the attack is still unclear, but it happened on the first of three voting days for the Russian presidential election that will most likely see Vladimir Putin winning his fifth term.
The Russian elections have got underway across the nation, as voters have headed to the polls in what is widely understood to be a sham affair. The election unfolds amid a harsh crackdown on dissent, with independent media and rights groups stifled, consolidating Vladimir Putin’s grip on power.
This comes as Russia’s conflict in Ukraine enters its third year, with Moscow holding the upper hand on the battlefield despite facing challenges such as long-range drone attacks and high-tech assaults on its Black Sea fleet.
Spanning 11 time zones, voters across Russia and even in illegally annexed regions of Ukraine are casting their ballots until Sunday, with online voting introduced for the first time, drawing over 200,000 voters in Moscow alone.
With Putin, 71, seeking his fifth term and facing minimal opposition due to political opponents jailed or exiled, the election lacks suspense. The ballot features low-profile candidates from token opposition parties aligned with the Kremlin.
Independent observers express scepticism about the fairness of the election, citing limited choices for voters and constrained monitoring opportunities.
Only registered candidates or state-affiliated groups can assign observers to polling stations, impeding independent oversight across nearly 100,000 locations nationwide.
Ukraine fired at least eight missiles at Russia’s Belgorod border region, killing two people and wounding 12, local officials said Thursday, as Kyiv’s forces apparently kept up efforts to rattle the Kremlin on the eve of Russia’s presidential election that is taking place amid a ruthless crackdown on dissent.
Voting in the region was paused for a few hours on Friday morning by the attacks.
Andriy Yusov, a spokesman for the GUR intelligence directorate, said: “Kursk and Belgorod regions are now an area of active combat actions. This is what we confirm.
“And as stated by the volunteers and rebels, we are talking about Russian citizens who, having no other options, are defending their civil right with arms against the Putin regime.”
