An explosion in a metro station in St Petersburg on Monday has killed at least 10 people, according to “preliminary information,” Russian news agency TASS reported.
About 50 people are also thought to be injured, including children, according to the governor’s press office.
Media websites showed pictures of blown-out train doors at Sennaya Ploshchad metro station, and injured people on the station platform.
The explosive device was said to have been filled with shrapnel, Interfax news agency said.
The state-owned Rossiya 24 news channel reported that explosions had occurred at the Sennaya Square and Technology Institute stations, in the city centre.
Another agency, RIA Novosti, said there appeared to have been blasts at two metro stations.
A Reuters witness saw eight ambulances near the Sennaya Ploshchad metro station.
Ten metro stations have been closed, Interfax said.
It comes as Russian President Vladimir Putin is in the city holding a meeting with the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
Mr. Putin said they were trying to establish the cause of the blast.
“I have already spoken to the head of our special services, they are working to ascertain the cause (of the blasts),” Mr Putin said. “The causes are not clear, it’s too early. We will look at all possible causes, terrorism as well as common crime,” he added.
The president also expressed his condolences to the victims.
Russian Federation Council Defense and Security Committee Chairman Viktor Ozerov said the blast has every sign of a terror attack.
Russia has been the target of attacks by Chechen militants in past years. Chechen rebel leaders have frequently threatened further attacks.
At least 38 people were killed in 2010 when two female suicide bombers detonated bombs on packed Moscow metro trains. (TheStraitsTimes)