December 31, in Russian Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk oblast, at around 6 am there was a severe explosion, which collapsed the entrance of the 10-storey residential building on Karl Marx street, 164. Rescue work began immediately. By the evening of January 2 from the rubble removed the bodies of the dead 26. Do not know the fate of another 15 people.
Russian media confidently said about the gas explosion, but the city immediately rumors about the attack. Officials immediately rejected this version. In Magnitogorsk arrived personally the head of the Investigative Committee Alexander Bastrykin, who led a group of a hundred (!) investigators. Was introduced a state of emergency, and the city stepped up patrols of police on the streets there were special forces.
All this, instead of calming, only assured the residents that we are talking about the attack. In addition, the next day, January 1, in Magnitogorsk thundered new explosion. Exploded bus, which killed three people. Eyewitnesses in social networks claim that they had heard of the explosion in addition to fire. On the site of a car bomb worked for the FSB, which did not comment on the situation. Representatives of the Investigative Committee denied any connection between the two explosions, according to them, the cause of the explosion of a minibus — the faulty gas equipment.
Ural news resource Znak.com citing unnamed sources in law enforcement agencies reported that the explosion in the house — a terrorist attack, and in the bus eliminated performers. After that 6 hours on the website this publication was not available. The same Znak.com later reported that the RAID that took place on Lenin street, 91/1, where January 1 was the evacuation of residents, and the area was cordoned off by special forces.
Federal mass media this information is not distributed, while the official authorities denied. Deputy chief editor Znak.com Dmitry Kolesev stated in the Telegram that his journalists are confident in their sources in the security environment and in the details of the information that told them: «This is not a prank and left the stuffing, it’s a conversation with real sources in law enforcement agencies with whom there are long-term fellowship.»
Magnitogorsk(
Dead until 3(
Photo horror pic.twitter.com/zJyzJYjwUB
— Camille (@kamilk32) December 31, 2018
Magnitogorsk is the largest world centre of ferrous metallurgy with a population of over 400 thousand people, known as «Magnitka» is one of the symbols of the Soviet and Russian industry.
#Magnitogorsk Public VK Black&White Magnitogorsk https://t.co/JbkPbltbPz pic.twitter.com/lqe38A1UZB
— Belyi.Mish (@Belyi_Mish) December 31, 2018
Gennady Gudkov, a Russian politician, former KGB officer
USA.one was asked to comment on speculation about the terrorist attack in Magnitogorsk Deputy of the state Duma of four convocations, former KGB Colonel Gennady Gudkov, who noted that, if the experts are immediately informed that the examined the scene and found no traces of explosives — no speculation would not exist. But for some reason there was no such statement made. Instead, the investigators somehow assured that only consider the version of explosion of household gas and no other: «If I said I reviewed all the versions and is confirmed only gas, it would be more convincing, and it would be safer for the citizens…»
At the same time, Gennady Gudkov, who has extensive experience in the field of security, said that, indeed, things look suspicious:
«First, the destruction was too great for explosion of household gas. It is difficult to imagine under what conditions could the apartment to accumulate so much gas that when the explosion collapsed a staircase. Second, attracted by an unusually high number of investigators and security officials to investigate the incident. If this was a household accident — many people do not usually connect. You need to take into account the low level of trust in information coming from the authorities, so when there are reports about the explosion of a minibus the next day and even of the shooting — people begin to compare themselves and draw conclusions about the terrorist act».
USA.one noticed that Magnitogorsk is far away from the Caucasus or other areas of the terrorist threat and asked the politician, not anticipating the outcome of the investigation, to assess the overall level of terrorist threat in the Urals. «We should not romanticize terrorists, they exercise their shares, based on their actual capabilities. Maybe preferable for the targets of terrorists in Moscow, but if there was somehow able to smuggle explosives in Magnitogorsk and to carry out the attack, they take advantage of this opportunity. Of course, terrorism is a bloody PR, terrorists important demonstrative, psychological reaction from people. Maybe the attack in the remote town not shocking so much, but there could play a role binding to date. A blast for the New year is a shock for the whole country. Here we can recall the bombings in Volgograd thundered on 29 and 30 December. The tragedy these days is very painful».
Gennady Gudkov also advised not to forget that in addition to the terrorist threat in Russia is not cancelled criminal threat and the usual carelessness: «the cause of the explosions is often careless handling of explosives including by criminal elements.»
USA.one joins the grief and sorrow that are now experiencing those lost in the explosion, friends and relatives, and hopes for speedy recovery of those injured.
