At least nine people have died following an explosion on the St. Petersburg metro.
Russia’s Prosecutor General has officially declared the explosion to be an act of terrorism.
Russian officials confirmed that one explosion had taken place at the city's Tekhnologicheskiy Institut metro station at approximately 2:30 P.M. local time.
Initial reports suggested that a second device had exploded on a metro car at the Sennaya Ploshchad station. Police later clarified that only smoke had been seen in the area.
A third, unexploded device was reportedly also found at the city's Ploshchad Vosstaniya station.
Russian news site Gazeta.ru spoke to one eyewitness who was travelling in an adjoining metro car.
“We were in the neighboring train car. The train car was crowded: people were sitting and standing,” she said. “The explosion happened on the track between two metro stations. There was a thundering clap, then a strong smell, smoke. We went to the other end of the train car. People became jammed together. Two women passed out.
"All of this happened while the train car was in motion, the train didn’t stop. Everyone left the train at Technologichesky Institut station. There, we saw that the neighboring train car was shattered, the windows broken, there was no light and blood everywhere.”
The St. Petersburg metro has now been closed, while the Moscow metro is still operating with extra security measures in place, officials announced on Twitter.
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.
