Explosion Targets St. Petersburg Metro, Putin Says Terrorism among Causes for Blast

MOSCOW-A twin blast has hit the Saint Petersburg metro on Monday, Sputnik reported.

The reported blasts occurred at the “Sennaya Ploschad [square]” and “Tekhnologichesky Institute” stations. At least 10 people were killed. Sennaya Ploschad is engulfed by smoke. Emergency services have been sent to the scene, Sputnik reported.

Evacuation of people from St. Petersburg’s metro after an explosion is now over, Andrei Przhezdomsky, a spokesman for the National Anti-terrorist Committee (NAC), told the Rossiya-24 television channel.

Putin: Terrorism among causes considered for St. Petersburg Metro blast

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that all possible causes for the explosion in the St. Petersburg Metro are being considered, including those linked to terrorism.

  “The causes of this event have not been determined yet, so it’s too early to talk about [possible causes]. The investigation will show. Certainly, we will consider all variants, common, criminal, first of all, of a terrorist nature,” he said, RT reported.

“The law enforcement agencies and security forces are working and will do everything in their power to unearth the reasons of what happened, to assess what happened,” Putin said, as quoted by Sputnik.

“The city authorities, and, if required, the federal authorities, will take all necessary measures to support the families of those killed and those injured,” Putin said.

Putin has discussed the situation in the St.Petersburg metro station with the FSB director.

The Russian president is currently in St. Petersburg taking part in the All-Russia People’s Front media forum that opened on April 1.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has denied earlier media speculation that President Putin was due to pass by the Sennaya Metro station around the time of the blast.

UNSC Calls for Bringing Perpetrators of St. Petersburg Attack to Justice

The UN Security Council condemned the attack in the St. Petersburg metro and called for bringing those responsible to justice, the council said in a statement on Monday.

“Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the barbaric and cowardly terrorist attack which took place in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, on 3 April 2017,” the statement noted. “The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice.”

Trump: St. Petersburg Metro blast a ‘terrible thing’

US President Donald Trump condemned the explosion in the St. Petersburg Metro in which 10 people died and dozens were injured, calling the incident a “terrible thing.”

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said that the US is ready to provide Russia assistance in investigating the St. Petersburg attack if needed.

Western leaders offer condolences to Russia

Foreign ministers of 28 EU member-states at the meeting of the Council of the European Union are following the news, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said. “Following the news coming from Saint Petersburg, together with all EU Foreign ministers. Our thoughts are with all people of Russia,” she wrote on her Twitter page.

Lithuanian FM Expresses Condolences Over Blast in St. Petersburg Subway

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius conveyed condolences on Monday to the families of St. Petersburg underground blast victims.

UK Foreign Office: ‘Our Sympathies Are With Those Affected and Their Loved Ones’

The UK Foreign Office is in contact with Russian authorities after a deadly blast in the city of St. Petersburg, the UK Foreign Office’s spokesperson said Monday.

“We are liaising with Russian authorities following explosions on the St Petersburg metro. Our sympathies are with those affected and their loved ones,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

H.M