The Russia’s Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation into an explosion that rocked today about 1 PM at the railway station in the city of Volgograd as containing signs of crimes under articles 205 and 222 of the RF Penal Code (terrorist attack and illegal circulation of weapons). According to preliminary data at least 16 people were killed in the explosion and over 30 injured were hospitalized, including a child born in 2004.
It is reported that the act was conducted by a female suicide-bomber. Coming up to the metal detector she saw a police officer standing next to it, got nervous and set off the explosive device. The power of the explosion might have been not less than 10 kg of TNT with shrapnel. Moreover, to all appearance, there might have been much more victims if not for the so called barrage system which stopped the bomber from getting into the waiting room full of passengers.
The investigators are also considering the version that it could have been a male bomber.
An investigating team is working at the scene at the moment. They are examining the crime scene, seizing and taking photos of all the traces. During the examination of the scene they have found an unexploded grenade F-1, which was then destroyed by the bomb-disposal technicians.
Experienced investigators and forensic investigators of the Central Office of the Russia’s Investigative Committee from Moscow and North Caucasus region have been urgently sent to Volgograd to help the inquiry. Eye witnesses of the crime are now being identified and questioned. A number of necessary forensic expert examinations have been set to find out all the circumstances of the crime and identify the dead bodies of the victims and the suicide bomber. At present 10 out of 16 victims have been identified, 7 men and 3 women.
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