St PETERSBURG, March 22. /TASS/. A Russian Army officer did on a military base in the southwestern Belgorod region during a routine drill on Tuesday as he tried to protect a soldier from the explosion of a combat hand grenade, the press service of the Western Military District told reporters.
“On March 20, an army officer died during a routine drill on a firing range during an exercise in grenade throwing from a trench,” the press service said.
A grenade slipped from the conscript soldier’s hands after he had pulled out the safety pin. The officer pushed the bewildered soldier aside and then shielded him with his own body.
“As a result of the explosion, the officer received multiple wounds while the soldier remained unharmed,” the press service indicated. “Physicians fought for the officer’s life but didn’t manage to save him.”
It added that the commanders of the base had recommended the officer for a posthumous decoration for this display of heroism.
More:
http://tass.com/defense/995556