St Petersburg metro 'explosion': Multiple injuries after blast on underground in Russian city

Interfax
04/03 15:42 NUMBER OF CLOSED STATIONS IN ST. PETERSBURG METRO RISES TO 10 - INTERFAX CORRESPONDENT
04/03 15:41 IT IS TOO EARLY TO SPEAK ABOUT CAUSES, INVESTIGATION WILL SHOW, ALL THEORIES UNDER CONSIDERATION, INCLUDING CRIMINAL, TERRORISM - PUTIN ON ST. PETERSBURG METRO BLAST
04/03 15:38 PUTIN SAYS HAS TALKED WITH FSB DIRECTOR, EXTENDS CONDOLENCES TO RELATIVES, BELOVED ONES OF PEOPLE KILLED IN ST. PETERSBURG METRO
4/03 15:37 PUTIN: LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ARE WORKING TO DETERMINE CAUSES OF ST. PETERSBURG METRO BLAST
04/03 15:36 EXPLOSIVE DEVICE LEFT IN CARRIAGE IN ST. PETERSBURG METRO, 'EXTREMIST TRACE' BEING STUDIED - SOURCE

a reply to: Peeple

As projectvxn said , it's probably Chechen's connected to Daesh , Chechen fighters are known to be in Syria.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Peeple

As projectvxn said , it's probably Chechen's connected to Daesh , Chechen fighters are known to be in Syria.

We had Chechens in Iraq and Afghanistan too.

Chechens provide a lot of material support to Taliban and Daesh aligned forces in those areas.

a reply to: gortex

Yes but Ramzan Kadyrov is hardly that stupid.

simultaneous train bombs train bombs are the MO of Gladio, but Gladio operating inside russia seems unlikely.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
a reply to: PhoenixOD

Obviously, ones thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those who may have died, or may still die from their injuries, and to those left with lasting trauma of any kind as a result of this incident.

There are, however, things about the photographs which have been posted thus far, which may be of interest to anyone trying to pick detail out of this situation. One of the most interesting things about the images as provided thus far (which appear to be taken at the same platform, focusing on the same carriage and doorway thereto), is that only the door appears to have undergone catastrophic damage. Of course the victims do not appear to have fared particularly well, but in previous bombings involving a train carriage, it is very common indeed for the blast to have taken a massive bite out of the carriage, such that there is usually a gaping hole in one or both sides of it.

This must have been a relatively small device, either that or the train carriage is built like a bloody tank, because for only the doors to have undergone significant structural reorganisation in the blast is very unusual in an event like this. The Madrid bombings, the 7/7 bombings on the London Underground and other events like it, all feature explosions which utterly warped the shape of, or simply blew a large hole in the carriage. Far more than doors and windows were blown out, instead entire wall panels just blown clear away, the blast radius actually destroying everything in its immediate vicinity, turning whatever avoided utter vapourisation into flying shrapnel, traveling through the carriage, sometimes into neighboring carriages, there to cause bloody havoc, not to mention to anyone stood on the platform (assuming detonation at a platform, rather than during movement).

Any ballistics and explosives experts wishing to add their input on the matter of the extremely localised nature of this explosion, would no doubt be welcome!

Was thinking the same thing when I first saw the photo of the door. Maybe person detonating the device was standing in front or near the door?

Anyone think it could be related to the Ukraine situation? There has been some heavy clashes in the last two weeks, as well as a recent buildup of forces from both Russia and Ukraine.


a reply to: TrueBrit

This must have been a relatively small device,

a reply to: jtrenthacker

Was thinking the same thing

"Interfax" reports that two explosive devices, stuffed with destructive elements, were triggered. Their power was about 200 and 300 grams in the TNT equivalent.

It's hard for me to hear this news and not think of the ATL interstate collapse. Is this a tit for tat in the obviously renewed cold war between US/Russia or a coordinated effort by ISIS? It's so odd to me that all of the news last week was about chatter and concern over laptops on planes and yet we have two back to back major issues with infrastructure in countries fighting ISIS. And each other.

Here is a feed from RT.

All stations (55) have been shut down.

Weird ... Just when all EU orchestrated protests failed ...

See ... the problem with terrorism is that it spreads ... suddenly! Without apparent reason.

Ouuuufffff. Mr Putin is gonna # them up bad. No #prayforrussia here. Maybe #prayforallterroristsandtheirfamilyandtheirpets

a reply to: PhoenixOD

No CCTV footage from the car and station yet?

Putin had meeting with Lukashenko in the same time, in Strelna few km away. Strange, in russian style.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

That is a VERY small charge, when compared to other bombings of metropolitan railways in the past.

One of the Madrid bombs was about 10kg of explosive with a kilo of nails packed around it, from what I recall of the incident and reportage into the same.

A 300g bomb is a very small package. That suggests quite a powerful explosive chemical, even taking into account the necessarily smaller blast signature.

a reply to: TrueBrit
A high explosive, like the kind used in demolition or the armed forces perhaps?? Maybe keeping the package small made it easier to not get pinged on the regulatory radar that deals with these elements in the Russian government??

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Three possibilities spring to mind.

Its military gear, demolitions grade gear, or home made by an absolute professional.

This certainly will not prove to be some dodgy thing, cooked up out of the contents of a few bottles of hair product and toilet cleaner.