A former Soviet soldier shielded his eight-year-old son from gunfire during the deadly shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach on Sunday, describing the scene as a "war zone."
Vladimir Kotlyar, who identifies as a rabbi, was attending the "Chanuka by the Sea" event when two gunmen opened fire on the crowd. He immediately covered his son for protection.
Kotlyar said at least one attacker used a shotgun, firing indiscriminately. "They were shooting at us as if we were the enemy. This is Bondi, this is Australia," he told media. He later tried to help the wounded, including a security guard shot in the shoulder, but said many were already dead at the scene.
Having served in the Russian military during the Soviet era, Kotlyar said he had undergone military training and witnessed conflict but had never experienced such a scene. He lamented: "This is not the Australia I know."
The attack, which police have declared a terrorist incident, killed 12 people and sent 29 to hospital. Two suspects have been arrested.
