A conscript has killed his colleague and shot himself in the city of Engels in the Volga region, a police source said on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old serviceman shot another conscript dead while on sentry duty late on Monday. He later left his military unit and hijacked a car, threatening its owner with his government-issued Kalashnikov assault rifle.

Traffic police began a pursuit almost immediately, a defense ministry source said.

"Later, some 20 km northeast of Engels, the serviceman shot himself dead. Weapons and ammunition were found at the scene," the source said.

The motives behind the incident are yet unknown.

Investigators believe the soldier shot himself, but other versions are also being investigated, including the soldier shooting himself by accident.

MOSCOW, December 15 (RIA Novosti)