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Volgograd blasts: New deadly explosion hits Russian city | Volgograd blasts: New deadly explosion hits Russian city |
(about 1 hour later) | |
At least 14 people have been killed in a suicide bombing on a trolleybus in the Russian city of Volgograd, investigators say. | |
The blast comes a day after 17 people died in another suicide attack at the central station in the city. | The blast comes a day after 17 people died in another suicide attack at the central station in the city. |
Security has been tightened at railway stations and airports across Russia. | Security has been tightened at railway stations and airports across Russia. |
Moscow is concerned militant groups could be ramping up violence in the run-up to the 2014 winter Olympic Games in the city of Sochi. | Moscow is concerned militant groups could be ramping up violence in the run-up to the 2014 winter Olympic Games in the city of Sochi. |
The Olympic venue is close to Russia's volatile north Caucasus region. | The Olympic venue is close to Russia's volatile north Caucasus region. |
A spokesman for Russia's Investigative Committee said both explosions were now being treated as acts of terrorism. | A spokesman for Russia's Investigative Committee said both explosions were now being treated as acts of terrorism. |
But a spokeswoman for the International Olympic Committee told Reuters news agency that the organisation had no doubt Russian authorities would provide adequate security for the games. | |
Busy market | Busy market |
The latest explosion took place near a busy market in Volgograd's Dzerzhinsky district. | |
Maksim Akhmetov, a Russian TV reporter who was at the scene of the blast, said the trolleybus was packed with people going to work in the morning rush hour. | Maksim Akhmetov, a Russian TV reporter who was at the scene of the blast, said the trolleybus was packed with people going to work in the morning rush hour. |
He described the scene as "terrible", adding that the bus was "ravaged" and that there were "bodies everywhere, blood on the snow". | He described the scene as "terrible", adding that the bus was "ravaged" and that there were "bodies everywhere, blood on the snow". |
The explosion removed much of the bus's exterior and broke windows in nearby buildings. | The explosion removed much of the bus's exterior and broke windows in nearby buildings. |
The figures given for the number of dead and injured are still fluctuating, but investigators and the Russian Health Ministry told a press conference that 14 people had been killed. | |
"It is now possible to preliminarily say that the explosive device was set off by a suicide bomber - a man whose body fragments have been collected and sent for genetic testing," the Investigative Committee said in a statement. | |
The first blast rocked Volgograd-1 station at around 12:45 (08:45 GMT) on Sunday, at a time of year when millions of Russians are travelling to celebrate the New Year. | The first blast rocked Volgograd-1 station at around 12:45 (08:45 GMT) on Sunday, at a time of year when millions of Russians are travelling to celebrate the New Year. |
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. |
No group has yet said it was behind the blast. | No group has yet said it was behind the blast. |
An Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus region has led to many attacks there in recent years. Insurgents have also attacked major Russian towns. | An Islamist insurgency in the North Caucasus region has led to many attacks there in recent years. Insurgents have also attacked major Russian towns. |
The attacks show that the bombers do not need to target Sochi directly to attract international attention - any part of Russia will do, says the BBC's Daniel Sandford in Moscow. | The attacks show that the bombers do not need to target Sochi directly to attract international attention - any part of Russia will do, says the BBC's Daniel Sandford in Moscow. |
Volgograd lies about 900km (560 miles) south of Moscow, 650km north of the North Caucasus and 700km north-east of Sochi. | |
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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