Russian Soldier Threatens to Blow Himself Up After Abandoning Unit

A Russian soldier stopped traffic on a highway in the Russian city of Ufa for several hours on Wednesday when he threatened to blow himself up with a grenade, according to a local media report.

Ufa1.ru reported that a man identified by only his first name, Ildar, was said to be a volunteer soldier in Russian President Vladimir Putin's military, but he had charges brought against him for deserting his unit in the Rostov region of Russia. During the investigation, he escaped while being taken to a psychiatric examination that was ordered in the criminal case against him.

"The man demanded that the criminal case against him be stopped, otherwise he would pull the pin and blow himself up," Ufa1.ru wrote.

Eventually, Ildar was convinced to not pull the pin from the grenade and turn himself in. But his surrender took around hour hours and a visit from a top local official, according to Ufa1.ru.

Though coverage of the incident did not indicate what role Ildar served in the military, the Rostov region has been the site of attacks in recent weeks. On Friday, the Russian Defense Ministry said it shot down a missile in the Rostov city of Taganrog, which sits near Russia's border with Ukraine. According to the Associated Press, local officials said debris from the explosion resulted in 20 people getting injured.

Russia's Defense Ministry reported another downed missile the same day in a second Rostov city, Azov, which also resulted in debris falling. Moscow blamed both strikes on Ukraine. Kyiv did not accept responsibility for the attacks, but an official from the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine commented online that Russia's air defenses caused the events at Taganrog.

During the situation Wednesday in Ufa, multiple agencies were called to the scene. This included members of the National Guard of Russia, traffic police and representatives from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

However, Ildar had reportedly demanded to personally speak with Radiy Khabirov, the governor of Bashkortostan, the republic in which Ufa serves as the administrative capital.

Khabirov answered the demand and spoke with Ildar by phone and in person, encouraging the soldier to disarm. Ufa1.ru reported that after Khabirov spoke with Ildar for "about half an hour" face-to-face on the highway, the soldier surrendered and turned over his explosive device to the National Guard.

The Moscow Times reported that videos of Khabirov negotiating with Ildar have been posted online.

"I guarantee, if there's anything I can do for you, I'll do it," Khabirov told Ildar at one point, according to The Moscow Times.

It is not known whether or not Khabirov was able to have the charges against Ildar dropped.

Newsweek reached out to the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs via email for comment.