The first explosion in history

On the evening of April 11 in the Minsk Metro at 17:56 local time (18:56 in Moscow) a powerful explosion thundered. The bomb exploded at the Oktyabrskaya station - the only transplant station in Minsk, located in the very center of the capital of the Belarusian capital.

To commit a crime, an evening hour of peak was chosen - at this time there are always a lot of people at the October. According to the media, at the time of the explosion at the station there were about 300 people. In addition, trains were on both sides of the platform. One of them just drove past the station and was forced to follow without stopping.

According to preliminary data, twelve people died as a result of the explosion, 149 were injured in varying severity, of which 22 people are in serious condition. Relatives of the victims can receive information by calling in Minsk: (375 17) 233-92-69 and 294-23-71.

The explosion of the explosion was so powerful that a through funnel formed in the concrete floor of the platform. An explosive wave partially destroyed the ceiling and walls above the escalator. The escalator also failed. Many of the victims were injured from the fall of ceiling elements. According to the KGB of Belarus, the explosive device contained chopped reinforcement, nails with a size of 8x80 millimeters and metal balls with a diameter of about 15 millimeters. According to preliminary data, the power of the explosion was from 5 to 7 kg in TNT equivalent.

Presumably the bomb was hidden under the bench on the platform, opposite the second train car, which was following the Victory Square station to Independence Square station.

One of the eyewitnesses in an interview with Kommersant said that people, after they moved away from the shock, began to nominate the versions of the incident. According to him, there were two main versions: either this is the work of the Belarusian authorities, seeking to distract the attention of citizens from economic and other problems, or this was committed by the opposition in order to “shake power”.

The first one and a half hours after the explosion, no official information was received from Minsk. Then the state media reported that President Alexander Lukashenko ordered to strengthen security measures. At 20:20 local time, he arrived at the scene and laid flowers at the Oktyabrskaya metro station.

Meanwhile, on April 12, on the fact of the explosion in the Minsk metro, a criminal case was opened under the article “Terrorism”. For his investigation, the Republican Operational Headquarters was created in the KGB. The head of the headquarters was appointed Deputy Prosecutor General Andrei Swede. On Tuesday morning, the KGB said that law enforcement agencies have data on the most likely executor of the attack. Its search is currently underway.

Kommersant notes that after such explosions in Russia, they immediately begin to look for a Caucasian trace. According to the Colonel of the Belarusian KGB retired, Valery Kostko, the religious or national motive of yesterday’s terrorist attack is completely excluded. He believes that forces that are interested in shaking the situation in the country may be involved in the explosion, but they have nothing to do with the Belarusian opposition.

This is the first explosion in the history of the Belarusian metro. The Oktyabrskaya station is in the immediate vicinity of the residence of Alexander Lukashenko. The buildings of the Foreign Ministry, the KGB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Council of Ministers of Belarus are also located near it.

According to the Belarusian authorities, the situation in the city remains calm. Enhanced security measures have been introduced in Minsk. One of the two lines of the Minsk metro is temporarily closed - on April 12, only the “Avtozavodskaya” metro line is valid in normal mode. The second line, “Moskovskaya”, on which the “Oktyabrskaya” station is located, is not yet working. In this regard, the city authorities ordered to bring additional buses on routes. According to eyewitnesses, the Minsk drivers of minibuses on Tuesday take free people who need to get to work.

The first terrorist attack in the history of independent Belarus occurred in Minsk on the night of July 3 to 4, 2008 during festive events dedicated to Independence Day. The bomb exploded in the crowd, in which the country's president Alexander Lukashenko was located, as a result of 50 people were injured. Law enforcement agencies opened a case under the article “malicious hooliganism”. A month ago, the country's authorities announced that there are still no suspects on this case and the investigation is ongoing.

At yesterday's meeting, Lukashenko did not exclude the connection of the explosion in the subway with the events of 2008. The Belarusian president instructed the KGB to study the possible connection of two terrorist attacks. Russia, Great Britain and Israel have already proposed their assistance to the Belarusian authorities in the investigation of the attack. The media note that these countries have already encountered terrorist attacks in the subway, and therefore their experience in the investigation of such crimes may be useful.

In addition, a team of Russian doctors will fly to Minsk, including surgeons specializing in mine-explosive injuries. In connection with the tragedy in the Minsk metro on April 13, the day of mourning was declared in the capital of Belarus.

So far, the personalities of the nine dead are identified. They were the abrasions of Natalya Valentinovna (date of birth - 06.11.1966), Andrukovich Karina Igorevna (06/30/1971), Shagoko Anna Viktorovna (10/09/1954), Kaptyukh Roman Vasilievich (03.16.1990), Serbeev Sergey Vladimirovich (04.11.1988), Narkevich Vladimirovich Vladimirovich. (06/03/1959), Parfuntsev Alexander Evgenievich (03/21/1954), Solovyova Olga Viktorovna (01/12/1983), Zakharkova Tatyana Igorevna (11/20/1968).