Terrorist act at “Oktyabraskaya” metro station: 12 killed, more than 180 injured

On 18 April at 17:56 there was an explosion at “Oktyabraskaya” metro station.

By 02:30 on April 12 the death toll had reached 12 people; 149 people have gone to health institutions for medical care (22 of them in serious condition, 30 with injuries of moderate severity). The identity of nine of the dead people has been established. BELTA (press agency) reported this, referring to the Centre for Information and Public Relations of the Belarusian KGB. 13 April has been announced as a day of mourning in Minsk.

“According to expert estimates, the power of the explosive device was equivalent to 5 kg of TNT,” said the report of the Centre for Information and Public Relations of the Belarusian KGB. “An explosive device containing chopped fittings, nails of size 80×8 mm and metal balls with a diameter of 15 mm, were found on a bench located on the platform. Concerning this incident, the Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus has opened a criminal case under Part 3, Article 289 (terrorism) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus.

In the KGB a republican operational headquarters has been set up under the leadership of committee chairman Vadim Zaitsev. At the site of the incident an operational investigative group is at work, headed by the Deputy General Procurator and senior advisor for justice, Andrei Sved. Security forces have been put on a higher level of security alert around the clock.

At the suggestion of the Russian leadership, at 08:00 on 12 April experts of the FSB (Russian security service) are expected to arrive.

The republican headquarters keeps records of the citizens who have suffered. You can get information about the victims on telephone no. 017 233 92 68; for the dead – from 09.00 to 18.00 call 017 219 92 30, from 18.00 to 09.00 – 017 219 92 99.

As at 01:00 on 12 April, as a result of operational and investigative activities, “information has been received on the most probable perpetrator of the explosion.” A search for this person is being carried out.