Ten people have been
reportedly killed and several others injured after a bomb blast hits a
metro station in Russia's St. Petersburg.
According to
preliminary information released by Russia’s TASS news agency, rescue
teams were being dispatched to the site of the blast, with a witness
telling Reuters that eight ambulances were seen near the Sennaya
Ploshchad metro station.
Another
Russian news agency, RIA Novosti, however, reported that there had been
apparently two separate explosions at two metro stations.
Three metro stations have been closed, according to Fontanka local media outlet.
"An
evacuation from the stations is ongoing, there are people injured," the
St. Petersburg metro said in a statement carried by Russian news
agencies, adding, "An unidentified object supposedly blew up in a
(train) carriage."
Another
report by St. Petersburg emergency services indicated that there had
been blasts in two train carriages at two metro stations.
Russia’s
Interfax news agency cited a source as saying that at least one of the
blasts involved a device filled with shrapnel, adding that at least 50
people had been injured. Putin condoles with victims' families, says all possibilities considered
Russian
President Vladimir Putin has issued a message of condolence,
sympathizing with the families of those killed in St. Petersburg subway
explosion.
Putin is currently in St. Petersburg for a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart, Alexander Lukashenko. An
injured person is helped by emergency services outside Sennaya
Ploshchad metro station, following explosions in two train carriages at
metro stations in St. Petersburg, Russia, April 3, 2017. (Photo by
Reuters)Speaking to reporters, he said the
cause of the blasts was not clear yet, adding that all possibilities,
including terrorism, were being considered.
“I have
already spoken to the head of our special services, they are working to
ascertain the cause (of the blasts),” Putin said at a meeting with
Lukashenko, adding, “The causes are not clear, it's too early. We will
look at all possible causes, terrorism as well as common crime.”
Emergency
vehicles and a helicopter are seen at the entrance to Technological
Institute metro station in St. Petersburg, Russia, on April 3, 2017.
(Photo by AFP)St. Petersburg metro closed after bomb attack
Early
videos showed injured people lying bleeding on a platform to be treated
by emergency services while others ran away from the platform amid
clouds of smoke.
The metro network servicing Russia's second
largest city said in a statement later on Monday that it had closed all
stations at 15:40 local time (12:40 GMT) to facilitate an ongoing
evacuation operation. It is still unclear when the underground system
will open again.
Following the incident, Moscow's deputy mayor
told media that authorities in the Russian capital were taking steps to
tighten security on Moscow subway.
No group or individual has assumed responsibility for St. Petersburg metro blasts yet. Men
carry an injured person on a stretcher outside Technological Institute
metro station in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on April 3, 2017. (Photo by
AFP)'Only one blast between two stations'
Later
on, an unnamed source in Russia's emergency services was quoted by
Reuters as saying that there was only one blast in St. Petersburg's
metro system, which happened on a train between two stations.
"There
was one blast in one site in between (stations) as the train arrived at
the Technology Institute station from Sennaya (Ploshchad) station," the
source added. Second explosive device 'made safe'
Meanwhile,
Russian security agencies reported that they had found an explosive
device at a metro station in central St. Petersburg and made it safe. An
injured man is helped by medics outside Technological Institute metro
station in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on April 3, 2017. (Photo by AFP)A
statement by the National Anti-Terrorist Committee said in on Monday
that the device was found at the Ploshchad Vosstaniya metro station,
which was a different location from where a blast earlier took place. 'Images of possible organizer of metro attack probably captured'
A
later report indicated that surveillance cameras in St. Petersburg's
metro system may have captured images of the person suspected of
organizing Monday's deadly train blast, Russia’s Interfax news agency
quoted an unnamed source as saying.
"Images of the suspected
organizer of the metro blast were captured on metro station cameras,"
the source noted, adding that the explosive device may have been left in
a briefcase in a metro train carriage. Russia investigating suspected "act of terror" after metro attack
Russia's
Investigative Committee said later on Monday that it was probing a
suspected "act of terror" after a blast in the Saint Petersburg metro
killed about 10 people and injured dozens, AFP reported.
"Despite
the fact that a criminal case under article 205 of the Criminal Code
(act of terror) has been opened, the investigation intends to verify all
other possible versions of this incident," the committee said in a
statement.Russia’s public transportation system has been targeted by
attacks in the past. EU condoles with Russia after blast: Mogherini
The
European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, has extended
her "condolences to all Russian people" after a blast hit the metro
system in Russia's St. Petersburg.
"We have been following in the
past hour the news coming from St. Petersburg, together with foreign
ministers of all the member states," Mogherini said.
She added, “"I expressed my condolences also to the Foreign Minister [Sergei] Lavrov in a message we sent him earlier."
Mogherini
continued by saying that EU foreign ministers will show a "more precise
reaction" as further details about the blast transpire. France beefs up Paris public transport security after Russia blast
France
also announced on Monday that it was increasing security at public
transport locations in Paris following deadly explosion in St.
Petersburg.
"Following the events in the St. Petersburg metro, and
as a precautionary measure, Interior Minister Matthias Fekl has decided
to redeploy security means in public transport across the Paris
region," the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
"Amid an
extremely high terrorism threat, the government continues to take
measures to protect the French people," the statement added. Russia’s public transportation system has been targeted by attacks in the past.
In December 2013, twin separate bombings a day apart claimed the lives of 34 people in Russia’s southern city of Volgograd. Police
and emergency services personnel carry an injured person on a stretcher
outside Technological Institute metro station in Saint Petersburg,
Russia, on April 3, 2017. (Photo by AFP)The first
bombing at the main railway station of Volgograd killed 18 people while
the second strike hit a trolley bus and claimed 16 lives.
The attacks followed a bus bombing carried out in the same city two months earlier.
In January 2011, an attack on Moscow’s Domodedovo airport, claimed by militants from North Caucasus, killed 37 people.
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