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'Suicide bomber' hits Russia's Volgograd train station | 'Suicide bomber' hits Russia's Volgograd train station |
(35 minutes later) | |
A suicide attack on a train station in Russia's southern city of Volgograd has killed 16 people, officials say. | |
There are contradictory reports over the gender of the bomber, amid official claims it was a woman. | |
A suspected female suicide bomber killed at least six people when she attacked a bus in the city in October. | A suspected female suicide bomber killed at least six people when she attacked a bus in the city in October. |
Moscow is concerned militant groups could be ramping up violence in the run up to the the 2014 winter Olympic Games in the city of Sochi in six weeks. | Moscow is concerned militant groups could be ramping up violence in the run up to the the 2014 winter Olympic Games in the city of Sochi in six weeks. |
An Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus region has led to many attacks there in recent years. Insurgents have also attacked big Russian towns. | An Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus region has led to many attacks there in recent years. Insurgents have also attacked big Russian towns. |
Volgograd lies about 900km (560 miles) south of Moscow, 650km north of the North Caucasus and 700km north-east of Sochi. | Volgograd lies about 900km (560 miles) south of Moscow, 650km north of the North Caucasus and 700km north-east of Sochi. |
Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered law enforcement agencies to take "all necessary security measures" in the bomb's aftermath, said a Kremlin spokesman. | Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered law enforcement agencies to take "all necessary security measures" in the bomb's aftermath, said a Kremlin spokesman. |
Mr Putin has ordered the most gravely injured victims to be flown to Moscow for treatment. | Mr Putin has ordered the most gravely injured victims to be flown to Moscow for treatment. |
Security would be stepped up at train stations and airports, said a federal police spokesman. | Security would be stepped up at train stations and airports, said a federal police spokesman. |
'Act of terrorism' | 'Act of terrorism' |
Sunday's explosion rocked Volgograd-1 station at around 12:45 (08:45 GMT) at a time when millions of Russians are travelling to celebrate the New Year. | Sunday's explosion rocked Volgograd-1 station at around 12:45 (08:45 GMT) at a time when millions of Russians are travelling to celebrate the New Year. |
The bomb contained 10 kg (22 pounds) of TNT, was rigged with shrapnel and was detonated near the metal detectors at the station entrance, said a spokesman for the Investigative Committee. | The bomb contained 10 kg (22 pounds) of TNT, was rigged with shrapnel and was detonated near the metal detectors at the station entrance, said a spokesman for the Investigative Committee. |
"According to our information the explosion was carried out by a female suicide bomber who approached a metal detector, saw a policeman there, got nervous and detonated the bomb stuffed with pieces of shrapnel," said the spokesman, Vladimir Markin. | "According to our information the explosion was carried out by a female suicide bomber who approached a metal detector, saw a policeman there, got nervous and detonated the bomb stuffed with pieces of shrapnel," said the spokesman, Vladimir Markin. |
He said the security presence had prevented a much higher death toll at the station, which was packed at the time of the blast as several trains were delayed. | He said the security presence had prevented a much higher death toll at the station, which was packed at the time of the blast as several trains were delayed. |
No group has yet claimed responsibility for the blast, which Mr Markin said injured 34 people - eight critically - including a nine-year-old girl whose mother was killed in the attack. Other sources said more than 40 people had been injured. | |
RIA Novosti news agency said security sources were naming the attacker as Oksana Aslanova. She has reportedly been married twice to militants and is also suspected of being a friend of Naida Asiyalova, the suicide bomber who targeted the Volgograd bus in October. | RIA Novosti news agency said security sources were naming the attacker as Oksana Aslanova. She has reportedly been married twice to militants and is also suspected of being a friend of Naida Asiyalova, the suicide bomber who targeted the Volgograd bus in October. |
However, the Interfax news agency later quoted an unidentified security source as saying "it has been established that the suicide terrorist was a man who had brought explosives to the station in a rucksack. | |
"His identity has been established," he said, though he did not give details. | |
The agency said the suspect's head had been found at the site. | |
A nearby security camera facing the station caught the moment of the blast, showing a bright orange flash behind the station's main doors. | A nearby security camera facing the station caught the moment of the blast, showing a bright orange flash behind the station's main doors. |
The explosion shattered windows and sent debris and plumes of smoke from the station entrance. | The explosion shattered windows and sent debris and plumes of smoke from the station entrance. |
Ambulances rushed the injured to hospital, while motionless bodies were laid out in the station forecourt. | Ambulances rushed the injured to hospital, while motionless bodies were laid out in the station forecourt. |
The incident was being treated as an act of terrorism, Mr Markin said. | The incident was being treated as an act of terrorism, Mr Markin said. |
In July, Chechen insurgent leader Doku Umarov posted an online video urging militants to use "maximum force" to prevent the Games from going ahead. | In July, Chechen insurgent leader Doku Umarov posted an online video urging militants to use "maximum force" to prevent the Games from going ahead. |
On Friday, a car bomb killed three people in the southern Russian city of Pyatigorsk. | On Friday, a car bomb killed three people in the southern Russian city of Pyatigorsk. |
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. | Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here. |
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