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'Bomb' caused Russian train crash 'Bomb' caused Russian train crash
(about 1 hour later)
A bomb blast caused a Russian express train with nearly 700 people on board to derail, killing at least 26 people, intelligence officials say. A bomb blast caused the Russian train crash in which at least 26 people were killed, intelligence officials say.
The Nevsky Express derailed in remote countryside on Friday night while travelling between the capital Moscow and the second city, St Petersburg. The Nevsky Express derailed with nearly 700 on board as it ran through remote countryside between the capital Moscow and the second city, St Petersburg.
Russian investigators found "elements of an explosive device" at the scene, an official statement said. Russian investigators found "elements of an explosive device" at the scene of the attack on Friday evening, an official statement said.
A senior intelligence official said a bomb had derailed the locomotive. "Indeed this was a terrorist attack," said a spokesman for prosecutors.
Alexander Bortnikov, head of Russia's domestic intelligence service, "Criminology experts say, on the basis of preliminary information, that an improvised explosive device, equivalent to 7kg (15 lb) of TNT, had gone off," said Alexander Bortnikov, head of Russia's domestic intelligence service.
told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that a bomb equivalent to seven kilos (15 lb) of TNT had been detonated, Reuters reported. There was no immediate confirmed claim of responsibility for the attack, at peak travel time on a train popular with government officials and business executives.
There was no immediate confirmed claim of responsibility for the attack. At least three of the 14 carriages left the tracks as the train reportedly approached speeds up 200 km/h (130mph).
The train was travelling on one of Russia's busiest rail routes and Friday evening is peak travel time. Russia's prosecutor-general has opened a criminal case on terrorism charges, Russian news agencies say.
If terrorism is confirmed as the cause, observers say the derailment would represent the deadliest attack outside the volatile North Caucasus region for five years.
'Attack on elite'
I think we can expect the Russian authorities to come up with some name soon, because this attack is politically very embarrassing Pavel FelgenhauerNovaya Gazeta newspaper
Pavel Felgenhauer, defence correspondent for Russia's Novaya Gazeta newspaper, told the BBC News website the key suspects for investigators would be "either militants from Russia's North Caucasus region or nationalist extremists, pro-Nazi groups".
"I think we can expect the Russian authorities to come up with some names soon, because this attack is politically very embarrassing.
"This is an expensive, high speed train, used by an elite which has been pushing to transfer parts of government functions to St Petersburg. We already have reports of several high-ranking government and local officials among the dead.
"Whoever is responsible, this attack clearly seems aimed not so much at the public, but directly at the ruling class."
'Loud bang''Loud bang'
Russia's prosecutor-general has opened a criminal case on terrorism charges, Russian news agencies report. Hundreds of rescuers and officials worked throughout the night at the scene near the town of Bologoye in Tver region. Hundreds of rescuers and officials worked through the night at the scene near the town of Bologoye, about 400km (250 miles) north-west of Moscow.
ANALYSIS Richard Galpin, BBC News Moscow
This statement has to be extremely significant. It's come from the head of the main internal intelligence agency, Alexander Bortnikov. He's saying very clearly that it was a bomb, a home-made device containing the equivalent of 7kg of high explosives
I think it's a definitive statement. It comes on top of what prosecutors were saying, that they were opening a criminal case into a suspected act of terrorism - and the fact investigators were quoted as saying they had found traces of a bomb or explosives at the scene and also a crater by the tracks.
This bomb went off in a remote area. This meant that it was difficult for the emergency services and the security services to get there There are reports it took them two hours. Some survivors have been saying quite a few people died while waiting for the emergency services to arrive
Some reports say as many as 39 people have died.Some reports say as many as 39 people have died.
The train was carrying more than 650 people. More than 90 are in hospital, some of them taken there by helicopter. The train was reported to be carrying around 650 passengers and two dozen or so staff.
About 90 people are in hospital, some taken there by helicopter.
Many of the injured are said to be in a serious condition.Many of the injured are said to be in a serious condition.
Some passengers reported a loud bang occurring just before the derailment. According to some reports, the scene of the crash, in wooded countryside, was so remote it took emergency services two hours to get there.
And Russian television channels broadcast a recording of a mobile phone call from the train driver to the emergencies ministry. Passengers spoke of a loud bang just before the derailment.
Russian television channels broadcast a recording of a mobile phone call from the train driver to the emergencies ministry.
"There was an explosion under the locomotive," he said. "I do not know what we hit. We are derailed. The locomotive and carriages, I do not know yet what else, everything is in smoke. ""There was an explosion under the locomotive," he said. "I do not know what we hit. We are derailed. The locomotive and carriages, I do not know yet what else, everything is in smoke. "
Federal prosecutors' spokesman Vladimir Markin told Itar-Tass news agency that a crater found at the site was 1.5m (5ft) wide and 0.7m deep.
In 2007, a bomb on the same line derailed a train, injuring nearly 30 passengers.In 2007, a bomb on the same line derailed a train, injuring nearly 30 passengers.
Two men suspected of having links to Chechen rebels were accused of planting a bomb next to the track.Two men suspected of having links to Chechen rebels were accused of planting a bomb next to the track.
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