Tag: Russia

Casualties reported following St Petersburg store explosion; IED Device Detonated

© Alexander Demyanchuk/TASS

An improvised explosive device with a power equivalent to 200 grams of TNT was detonated in a shopping mall

MOSCOW, December 27. /TASS/. An explosion in a St. Petersburg entertainment center has left at least ten people injured, emergency services told TASS on Wednesday.

“There was a bang. Emergency personnel are already on the scene. The evacuation has been completed,” a local Emergencies Ministry official added.

Photos courtesy 5TV News, Twitter

Russia’s Investigative Committee pursues all lines of inquiry probing the explosion at St. Petersburg’s shopping mall, the Investigative Committee told TASS.

“The investigators are exploring all lines of inquiry,” he said.

“An improvised explosive device stuffed with shrapnel and with a power equivalent to 200 grams of TNT was detonated in a shopping mall,” Svetlana Petrenko, the Spokeswoman for the Investigative Committee, has confirmed.

Petrenko said that the investigators are following up all lines of inquiry.

The city’s department of the Russian Investigative Committee opened a criminal investigation into the attempted murder against two and more persons.

Investigators, forensic experts, security services and police officers are working at the crime scene.

Dramatic Video from Russian Security Forces Shows IS Terrorist Bust in St. Petersburg

Dramatic Video from Russian Security Forces Shows IS Terrorist Bust in St. Petersburg

Photo of Kazan Cathedral Courtesy St. Petersburg Guide, Facebook

The detained suspects planned a series of terrorist attacks in St. Petersburg on December 16, 2017. Today President Putin thanked President Trump and the CIA for helping to foil the plot.

Video may be found here (not in English):
https://www.rbc.ru/society/15/12/2017/5a33cd819a79478380f6164e?from=materials_on_subject

MOSCOW, December 15. /TASS/. A group of seven people affiliated with the Islamic State terror organization (outlawed in Russia) was detained this week in Saint Petersburg, where they planned to carry out a series of terrorist attacks.

An FSB video carried by RBC shows one of the suspects confessing to preparing the terrorist attack in St. Petersburg.

“I was supposed to make the explosives and… pack them into bottles with projectiles attached,” he said.

The video also shows FSB operatives detaining a suspect at a shipping container that was supposedly used as an explosives lab and raiding an apartment, where explosives, assault weapons, ammunition and Islamist literature was found.

“The group was administered by ringleaders of the international terrorist organization from abroad by means of the instant messaging service Telegram,” the press service stated.

“Seven members of the group were detained in the course of a special operation in Saint Petersburg on December 13 and 14,” the FSB press service said. “A significant amount of explosive devices, elements for improvised explosive devices, automatic guns, ammunition and extremist literature have been confiscated from them.”

“A laboratory for manufacturing explosive devices has been eliminated as well,” the FSB added.

One of the detained suspects has admitted his guilt of preparing to carry out terrorist attacks in Russia’s second largest city of Saint Petersburg, according to a video footage circulated by the FSB.

“I was plotting a terrorist attack in Saint Petersburg. I had to manufacture explosives, pack them in bottles… and to attach shrapnel elements,” the detained suspect said.

One of the targets was the beautiful Kazan Cathedral in St. Petersburg:

Courtesy Russia Friends, Facebook
Courtesy St. Petersburg Guide, Facebook. Photo credit: Tajmer.

 

 

 

Olympic Committee Suspends Russia; Clean Athletes to Compete in PYEONGCHANG 2018 under Olympic Flag

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “This was an unprecedented attack on the integrity of the Olympic Games and sport. The IOC EB, after following due process, has issued proportional sanctions for this systemic manipulation while protecting the clean athletes. This should draw a line under this damaging episode and serve as a catalyst for a more effective anti-doping system led by WADA.”

THE IOC EXECUTIVE BOARD TODAY STUDIED AND DISCUSSED THE FINDINGS OF THE COMMISSION LED BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF SWITZERLAND, SAMUEL SCHMID, ADDRESSING THE SYSTEMATIC MANIPULATION OF THE ANTI-DOPING SYSTEM IN RUSSIA. THIS REPORT ALSO ADDRESSES IN PARTICULAR THE MANIPULATION AT THE ANTI-DOPING LABORATORY AT THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES SOCHI 2014 WHICH TARGETED THE OLYMPIC GAMES DIRECTLY. OVER 17 MONTHS OF EXTENSIVE WORK, THE SCHMID COMMISSION GATHERED EVIDENCE AND INFORMATION AND HELD HEARINGS WITH ALL THE MAIN ACTORS. DUE PROCESS, TO WHICH EVERY INDIVIDUAL AND EVERY ORGANISATION IS ENTITLED, WAS FOLLOWED. THIS OPPORTUNITY WAS NOT AVAILABLE TO THE IOC PRIOR TO THE OLYMPIC GAMES RIO 2016.

The conclusions of the Schmid Report, on both factual and legal aspects, confirmed “the systemic manipulation of the anti-doping rules and system in Russia, through the Disappearing Positive Methodology and during the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014, as well as the various levels of administrative, legal and contractual responsibility, resulting from the failure to respect the respective obligations of the various entities involved”.

As a consequence, the Schmid Commission recommended to the IOC EB:

  • “to take the appropriate measures that should be strong enough to effectively sanction the existence of a systemic manipulation of the anti-doping rules and system in Russia, as well as the legal responsibility of the various entities involved (i.e., including uniform, flag and anthem);
  • while protecting the rights of the individual Russian clean athletes; and
  • to take into consideration the multiple costs incurred by the two IOC DCs, in particular those linked to the investigations, the various expertise and the re-analysis of the samples of the Olympic Games.”

After discussing and approving the Schmid Report, the IOC EB took the following decision:

  • To suspend the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) with immediate effect.
  • To invite individual Russian athletes under strict conditions (see below) to the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018. These invited athletes will participate, be it in individual or team competitions, under the name “Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR)”. They will compete with a uniform bearing this name and under the Olympic Flag. The Olympic Anthem will be played in any ceremony.
  • Not to accredit any official from the Russian Ministry of Sport for the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.
  • To exclude the then Minister of Sport, Mr Vitaly Mutko, and his then Deputy Minister, Mr. Yuri Nagornykh, from any participation in all future Olympic Games.
  • To withdraw Mr Dmitry Chernyshenko, the former CEO of the Organising Committee Sochi 2014, from the Coordination Commission Beijing 2022.
  • To suspend ROC President Alexander Zhukov as an IOC Member, given that his membership is linked to his position as ROC President.
  • The IOC reserves the right to take measures against and sanction other individuals implicated in the system.
  • The ROC to reimburse the costs incurred by the IOC on the investigations and to contribute to the establishment of the Independent Testing Authority (ITA) for the total sum of USD 15 million, to build the capacity and integrity of the global anti-doping system.
  • The IOC may partially or fully lift the suspension of the ROC from the commencement of the Closing Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 provided these decisions are fully respected and implemented by the ROC and by the invited athletes and officials.
  • The IOC will issue operational guidelines for the implementation of these decisions.

How the athletes will be chosen:

To invite individual Russian athletes to the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 according to the following guidelines:

  • The invitation list will be determined, at its absolute discretion, by a panel chaired by Valerie Fourneyron, Chair of the ITA. The panel will include members of the Pre-Games Testing Task Force: one appointed by WADA, one by the DFSU and one by the IOC, Dr Richard Budgett.
  • This panel will be guided in its decisions by the following principles:
      1. It can only consider athletes who have qualified according to the qualification standards of their respective sport.
      2. Athletes must be considered clean to the satisfaction of this panel:
        • Athletes must not have been disqualified or declared ineligible for any Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
        • Athletes must have undergone all the pre-Games targeted tests recommended by the Pre-Games Testing Task Force.
        • Athletes must have undergone any other testing requirements specified by the panel to ensure a level playing field.

    The IOC, at its absolute discretion, will ultimately determine the athletes to be invited from the list.

    1. These invited athletes will participate, be it in individual or team competitions, in the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 under the name “Olympic Athlete from Russia (OAR)”. They will compete with a uniform bearing this name and under the Olympic Flag. The Olympic Anthem will be played in any ceremony.
    2. These invited athletes will enjoy the same technical and logistical support as any other Olympic athlete.
    3. The panel, at its absolute discretion, will determine an invitation list for support staff and officials.
    4. This panel will be guided in its decisions by the following principles:
      • No member of the leadership of the Russian Olympic Team at the Olympic Winter Games Sochi 2014 can be included on the invitation list.
      • No coach or medical doctor whose athlete has been found to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation can be included on the invitation list. All coaches and medical doctors included on the invitation list must sign a declaration to this effect.
      • Any other requirement considered necessary to protect the integrity of the Olympic Games.
    5. The IOC, at its absolute discretion, will ultimately determine the support staff and officials to be invited from the list.

IOC President Thomas Bach said: “This was an unprecedented attack on the integrity of the Olympic Games and sport. The IOC EB, after following due process, has issued proportional sanctions for this systemic manipulation while protecting the clean athletes. This should draw a line under this damaging episode and serve as a catalyst for a more effective anti-doping system led by WADA.”

He continued: “As an athlete myself, I feel very sorry for all the clean athletes from all NOCs who are suffering from this manipulation. Working with the IOC Athletes’ Commission, we will now look for opportunities to make up for the moments they have missed on the finish line or on the podium.”