April 27, 2013 - 17:05 AMT
Putin opposed to free gun sales in Russia

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday, April 27 he is opposed to the idea of allowing Russians to buy guns freely for self-defense purposes. RIA Novosti reported.

“I do not support the idea of free arms distribution in Russia,” Putin told Rossiya 24 television adding: “It is dangerous to artificially stimulate this process.”

The idea came after a shocking massacre in downtown Belgorod, southwest Russia, on Monday afternoon, which left six people dead.

A gunman killed three people with a rifle at a hunting store before going out onto the streets and shooting dead another three outside the store, including a 45-year-old man and two teenage schoolgirls.

Sergei Pomazun, 31, the only suspect in the shooting attack, was detained near the city by police following a manhunt that lasted more than 24 hours and involved about 2,000 personnel.