A blast in a supermarket in the Russian city of Saint Petersburg that injured ten people on Wednesday was caused by a homemade bomb, an official said.
“A homemade explosive device with the power equivalent to 200 grammes of TNT filled with lethal fragments went off in a Saint Petersburg shopping centre,” Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko told Russian news agencies.
https://twitter.com/sledcom_rf/status/946067646398820357
According to the head of Saint Petersburg governor’s press office, Andrey Kibitov, ten people have been hospitalized after the incident, with one of them in serious condition.
Пострадавшие при взрыве направлены в городские больницы:4 человека,один тяжелый-в Александровской б-це,в Мариинской-4 человека
— Andrey Kibitov (@Kibitov_Andrey) December 27, 2017
В Елизаветинской б-це – 2 человека.
— Andrey Kibitov (@Kibitov_Andrey) December 27, 2017
Saint Petersburg Vice Governor Anna Mityatina said a task force has been formed to monitor the situation after the blast and assist the injured.
По поручению Губернатора сформирована оперативная группа при Правительстве СПб. отслеживающая ситуацию по контролю и оказанию всей необходимой помощи пострадавшим в происшествии магазина "Перекресток" на Кондратьевский проспекте.
— Анна Митянина (@A_Mitjanina) December 27, 2017
Earlier this month, a tip from the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency prevented a terror plot in Saint Petersburg that would target Kazan cathedral and other public places in the city.
On December 17, Russian President Vladimir Putin called his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump to thank him for the provided information.
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With reporting by AFP
