Pity the Miliman

on april 27, Major Denis Yevsyukov, head of a local police department, went on a shooting rampage in a Moscow supermarket, killing two and wounding six.

Initially, Moscow Police Chief Vladimir Pronin explained the murders by saying Yevsyukov had family problems. But then store cameras showed the policeman calmly walking the aisles and shooting random customers, appearing to be completely aware of his actions. Yevsyukov, who headed a district department in southern Moscow, was seen as Pronin’s protégé, while Pronin is known for his ties to Moscow Mayor Luzhkov.

The chorus of public outrage sounded from every media outlet, and the scandal probably would have blown over of its own accord, chalked up as a singular, tragic event. Instead, President Dmitry Medvedev fired Pronin and several other police officials, underscoring the complete failure of the Moscow militia to police its own.