A seventh-grader brought a homemade smoke bomb to his school in Yekaterinburg, where it went off in his classmate's pocket during a lesson, police said Tuesday.
No one was injured as a result of the incident, which took place Monday, but the classroom filled with smoke and the teacher had to cut short the lesson and evacuate the room, the Sverdlovsk region's police department said in a statement.
The student, who was not identified, made the device by following instructions he found on the internet. He told the police that he had planned to set off the smoke bomb in the schoolyard after class, but couldn't resist showing it off to his friends. He gave the smoke canister to a classmate, who put it in one of his pockets, where it went off.
The student, aged somewhere between 12 and 13, said that he had "long been fascinated with various kinds of tricks and liked to make that kind of pyrotechnical device," the statement said.
His mother has been charged with neglecting a minor's upbringing — an offense punishable by a fine — and the student was registered as an offender with a juvenile affairs office.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
