On January 28, 1998, Pvt. Oleg Naumov -- a glue-sniffing Russian soldier on guard duty in the far eastern island of Sakhalin -- went on a rampage killing seven soldiers. Zonked on acetone fumes, Pvt. Oleg Naumov pick-axed one comrade -- who escaped alive -- before picking up his army-issued AK and killing his commander and a six others.

The rampaging private -- who had been addicted to drugs since age 13 -- was detained five hours later and hospitalized under heavy sedation.

Illustrating the murderous epidemic plaguing the Russian army, a day before the rampage, a soldier shot a fellow serviceman to death and deserted his post on the outskirts of Moscow. Such episodes have become increasingly common.

Russian soldier accused of killing 6 after sniffing glue

The Boston Globe

January 28, 1998

MOSCOW -- A Russian soldier on guard duty in the Far East went on a rampage after sniffing glue, and killed his commander and six other soldiers, military officials said yesterday.

Private Oleg Naumov was under the influence of acetone fumes, the Interfax news agency quoted Colonel-General Viktor Klishin, deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, as saying.

Russia soldier runs amok, kills 7 at remote base

Los Angeles Times

January 28, 1998

A soldier high on acetone fumes went on a rampage and killed seven fellow servicemen at a remote base on the Pacific island of Sakhalin, military officials reported Tuesday in describing the latest of at least 10 multiple slayings in the disintegrating army over the past two years.

In the most recent and one of the more savage outbreaks of violence in the military, Pvt. Oleg Naumov, 20, attacked a fellow soldier with an ax, then grabbed an automatic rifle and shot his commander and a private at a guard post, four soldiers in the base canteen and four more in a restroom, army officials said. Seven of those attacked died of their wounds.

Naumov escaped taking three spare magazines for his automatic rifle with him. About midnight a police group identified his hiding place in a building at the outskirts of the settlement of Pobedino. The murderer was arrested after a quick fight that involved no shooting.

Naumov had been abusing drugs since age 13 and had a criminal record--unbeknownst to his commanders, according to Gen. Mikhail Klishin, deputy chief of the general staff, who spoke to reporters here after the slayings.

He said Naumov had confessed to inhaling acetone vapors while on duty Monday and claimed to have no recollection of the killings.