Deadly bus explosion in Russia: caused by suicide bomber, ‘terror’ probe launched

An explosion on a bus in the southern Russian city of Volgograd that killed at least six people was caused by a female suicide bomber, investigators told the Interfax news agency. Russian officials had opened a formal terror probe.

The bus was blown up by a female suicide bomber strapped with explosives, said Deputy head of Russia’s investigation committee’s investigative department, Valery Safronov.

According to him, “she adopted Islam recently and she was a militant leader’s wife.”

Her documents were found not far from the scene, the spokesman said.

“A criminal case has been opened under articles outlining terrorism, murder and the illegal use of firearms,” said Investigative Committee spokesman Vladimir Markin.

Preliminary data suggested that a hand grenade went off inside the bus. A second grenade was reportedly found and diffused.

Five people were killed in the bombing in Volgograd, twenty-seven injured, according to the latest reports.

Officials said the packed bus was carrying about 40 passengers at the time of the explosion.

Earlier, the malfunction of gas equipment inside the bus was listed as one of the possible causes of the blast. However the transport company which owned the bus said that the vehicle worked on diesel fuel, and there was no gas equipment on board.

“All those who need help are getting full assistance,” an unnamed Volgograd government official separately told the Interfax news agency.

“We have gathered the required amount of medicine, and called up additional doctors,” the official said.

The blast occurred at around 2:00 pm (1000 GMT) in the Volga River city of Volgograd, about 900 kilometres (560 miles) southeast of Moscow.

R.S