14 are believed to have been killed and over 30 wounded after an explosion on the Saint Petersburg metro on Monday afternoon.
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Russia’s international news agency RIA Novosti reports the Russian President Vladimir Putin has been alerted to the explosion, which the agency calls an “attack”. It is possible there have been up to ten fatalities and dozens of injured, according to the agency.
According to reports in Russian-language media several casualties have been reported at the Institute of Technology station, and Sennaya Square station of the Saint Petersburg metro. Security services and medical first responders are on the scene.
All central Saint Petersburg metro stations have been closed, and security provision has been stepped up in other Russian cities including the capital, Moscow.
Vladimir Putin has expressed condolences and said the state security services were looking into “all positive motives”, including terror motives.
Several users of social media have shared images and videos that purport to come from the scene. One shared to YouTube shows a smoke-filled concourse between platforms. Other pictures shared through Twitter apparently show a wrecked train carriage and victims of the blast laid out on the platforms, with what appears to be blood smeared on the white marble columns that support the station’s roof.
This story is developing