At Least 10 Dead in Explosions in Russia's St. Petersburg Subway

Explosions at two Russian subway stations in St. Petersburg killed at least 10 people on Monday, the state-run Tass news agency reported. The explosions occurred while President Vladimir Putin was in the city, Russia's second largest, for a meeting and a speech.There has been no official confirmation of the Tass report, which cited an unidentified government official and also reported that at least 30 people were wounded. The Kremlin's spokesman, Dmitry S. Peskov, said that Putin, who had been informed of the attack, had proceeded with official business and would soon make a statement.The state-owned Rossiya 24 news channel reported that explosions had occurred at the Sennaya Square and Technology Institute stations, in the city center. Fontanka, a local news website, reported that several people were wounded.Images, not immediately verified, circulated on social media showing a damaged subway car and several people lying on a subway platform, apparently with injuries.The two stations are adjacent on the No. 2 subway line, which runs north-south through St. Petersburg. Both of the stations are transfer points with other subway lines. Seven stations in the city were closed after the attack, according to TASS and other agencies.Putin was in St. Petersburg for a meeting with the president of Belarus, Alexander G. Lukashenko, a traditional ally who has recently feuded with the Kremlin, and to give a speech at the All-Russia People's Front, a political group started by the president.Public transportation has been attacked in Russia before.Two subway stations in central Moscow were attacked by suicide bombers on March 29, 2010, killing dozens and renewing fears of terrorism there. The attack was linked to pro-Chechen separatists active with a pan-Caucasus insurgency.More details to come.New York TimesPosted by Chris Siron, Breaking News editor  Continue reading...