MOSCOW, August 30 (RIA Novosti) - A soldier who deserted his base with a loaded assault rifle has been found outside St. Petersburg seven hours after he went missing, a representative of local law-enforcement officials said Wednesday.
The soldier had escaped with a Kalashnikov and 60 cartridges, but the representative declined to give any details about the soldier's age or rank.
"During the guard change at 5 a.m. [1 a.m. GMT] ... in the Vyborg district, one serviceman was found to be missing from the base," the source said.
The soldier was found sleeping in a forest 5 kilometers (3 miles) away. His gun and the ammunition were confiscated, and prosecutors launched an inquiry.
