MOSCOW, Oct 17, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - A Russian soldier shot dead a fellow serviceman at a military base near Moscow on Friday and then killed himself, state media reported citing the Russian army.

Shootings at Russian military barracks are not uncommon, with the army long plagued by bullying and hazing scandals.

"A serviceman fatally wounded a contract soldier and took his own life," news agency TASS quoted the Moscow military district command as saying.

It said the Russian air force was investigating but did not mention any possible cause.

TV channel REN-TV cited an anonymous source as saying that three more people had been wounded at the base, located some 80 kilometres (50 miles) southwest of Moscow.

Russia's military rejects accusations it has a culture of hazing and says it has rooted out bullying rituals that had been common for decades.

In 2019, a 19-year-old conscript opened fire at a military base in Siberia, killing eight soldiers, including two officers.

Sentenced to 24 years in jail, he described his military service as "hell" and said he had been regularly abused.

Russia has massively ramped up the size of its army since launching its offensive on Ukraine in February 2022.

It has recruited hundreds of thousands of contract soldiers, hiking salaries and offering huge sign-up bonuses.

Moscow also forcibly drafted some 300,000 reservists in autumn 2022 after its troops failed to conquer Ukraine.

President Vladimir Putin said last month more than 700,000 Russian troops were fighting in Ukraine.