Explosion in St Petersburg metro kills fourteen

Russian authorities speak of 49 injured after blast near central metro station. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev described it as a “terrorist attack.”

Evangelical Focus

Agencies · SAINT PETERSBURG · 03 APRIL 2017 · 18:09 CET

Surroundings of the Sennaya Ploshchad station, after the blast. / Agencies,st petersburg
Surroundings of the Sennaya Ploshchad station, after the blast. / Agencies

(UPDATED)

An explosion in the metro system of the Russian city of St. Petersburg has killed 14 people.

Authorities said 49 other people were injured.

The explosion occurred between Sennaya Ploshchad and Tekhnologichesky Institut stations; in the centre of the city. 

St Petersburg has declred three days of mourning. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev described the incident as a “terrorist attack.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin was in the city when the explosion happened, holding talks with Belarus’ president Alexander Lukashenko. Putin said authorities are trying to establish the cause of the blast. He also expressed his condolences to the relatives of the victims.

St. Petersburg’s metro system is used by 2 million people every day.

 

WHO ARE THE AUTHORS?

Russia has been the target of attacks by Chechen militants in past years. But so far, no group has claimed to be the author of a terrorist attack.

But Kyrgyz authorities said the suspect is from Kyrgyzstan. There are conflicting reports as to whther he was a suicide bomber.

Several international politicians reacted to the incident: 

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