Vladimir Trefilov / Sputnik / Scanpix / LETA



There was an explosion at the Federal Security Service (FSB) building in Arkhangelsk on the morning of October 31. According to Russia’s National Anti-Terrorism Committee, the bomb detonated inside the building’s entrance at 8:52 a.m. A man entered the building removed an unidentified object from his bag, and sometime later the object exploded, killing the perpetrator and inflicting injuries of varying severity on three FSB officers.

The strength and composition of the bomb are still unknown. Photos from the blast site show that the building’s lobby sustained serious damage (the explosion ripped paneling off the wall and splattered blood).

The suspect’s identity has been established. Police say the bomber was a local 17-year-old, though they haven’t released his name to the public. The website Znak.com reported that the young man studied at a nearby polytechnic school, and published a photograph of his student identification card. The website also published a still from surveillance camera footage, showing the bomber enter the FSB building in Arkhangelsk.

Federal investigators have opened two criminal cases: a terrorism case and an illegal ammunition storage case. The Investigative Committee’s central office will handle both cases. The agency’s head, Alexander Bastrykin, has ordered investigators to determine the bomber’s motives, relationships, circle of friends, and family environment.

A few minutes before the bombing, a warning appeared in a local anarchist chat community. At 8:48 a.m., in the public Telegram chat channel Rech Buntovshchika (“Rebel Talk”), a user named “Valeryan Panov” claimed responsibility for a future terrorist attack. Declaring that “the reasons should be perfectly obvious to you,” the Telegram user noted that the FSB “fabricates [criminal] cases and tortures people.” The teenager also wrote, “Most likely, I'll die in this explosion, since this device is triggered directly by me pressing the button attached to bomb cover. That's why I'm asking you to spread info about this terrorist attack, about who carried it out and why.”

Report by Grigory Levchenko, translation by Kevin Rothrock</s>A man set off a bomb at the entrance of the local branch of Russia's main intelligence agency in a northern city Wednesday, injuring three security officials and killing himself, authorities said.

The man entered the local branch of the FSB intelligence agency in Arkhangelsk and removed the improvised explosive device from a bag, causing it to detonate, the National Anti-Terrorist Committee said.

The device went off just before 9 am (0600 GMT) in the FSB building in the center of the city, more than 1,000 kilometers north of Moscow, Artyom Botygin, a spokesman for the regional governor told AFP.

The explosion killed the man and injured three FSB officers. It was not immediately clear if the man had meant to just leave the bomb or had also intended to die.

Russian investigators later identified the attacker as a local 17-year-old man and said they are treating the attack as an act of terrorism.

Arkhangelsk governor Igor Orlov had earlier reported one death but did not indicate that that was the attacker. Authorities cordoned off the area around the FSB office and boosted security measures at all public offices in the city.

The FSB and other security agencies have been targeted in the past in another region, the North Caucasus, mostly by Chechen and Dagestani insurgents.

The FSB is the main successor agency of the Soviet KGB.</s>A 17-year-old blew himself up inside one of the offices of Russia’s Federal Security Service on Tuesday, after a post surfaced on social media claiming the notorious intelligence agency “fakes cases and tortures people.”

The incident in the northwest city of Arkhangelsk left three FSB employees wounded, the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation said, and is being viewed as a terror attack.

Officials say the unidentified man “carried an improvised explosive device into the building” before detonating it and killing himself. The motive for the attack is unclear.

The FSB, a successor to the Soviet-era KGB that handles counterterrorism efforts for Russia, has been accused of harshly interrogating leftist political groups prior to elections and during this past summer’s World Cup, according to The Guardian.

The newspaper, citing Russia media reports, added that, shortly before the explosion, a user who claimed to be an anarchist wrote on the Telegram messaging service that he would execute an attack in Arkhangelsk due to the work of the FSB.</s>MOSCOW—A bomb exploded Wednesday at a regional headquarters of Russia’s Federal Security Service, killing the teenager who carried it into the building and injuring three security officers in a rare terrorist attack on the country’s most powerful security agency.

Authorities said a 17-year-old male local resident carried the bomb into the lobby of the FSB building, located in the northern province of Arkhangelsk. The device exploded after he took it out of a bag, Russia’s antiterrorism committee said in a statement.</s>
• A 17-year-old entered the office building of Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) in Arkhangelsk, north Russia, and blew himself up with a homemade bomb on Wednesday.
• He died of his own injuries and wounded three other FSB staff members.

A 17-year-old detonated a homemade bomb to the office building of Russia’s intelligence services (FSB) in the country’s north, killing himself and wounding three staff members.

The suspect entered the building in Arkhangelsk, a city in northern Russia, on Wednesday morning and blew himself up at the entrance, Reuters reported. He died of his own wounds.

The explosion took place around 8:52 a.m. local time, Russia’s Interfax news agency reported.

A spokesman for Russia’s Anti-Terrorism Committee told state news agency TASS: “According to preliminary data, the person, who entered the building, took an unidentified object from his bag, which exploded some time later in his hands. As a result, he received fatal wounds.”

The three FSB staff members who were injured were taken to hospital, Interfax reported.

Russia is treating the case as suspected terrorism, Reuters added, citing the country’s Investigative Committee. Investigators said the suspect, who was not named, was from the city.

The investigation will be led by federal authorities in Moscow, Reuters reported.

Alexander Bastrykin, the head of the Investigative Committee, is looking into the teenager’s motive, the agency added.

Igor Orlov, governor of the Arkhangelsk region, said that security would be tightened in the region, Interfax reported.</s>One person has been killed and three others injured after an explosive device went off inside a building housing the country's security service in Arkhangelsk in northern Russia.

The device went off around 06:00 GMT on Wednesday in the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) building in the centre of the city, more than 1,000km north of Moscow, Artyom Botygin, a spokesman for the regional governor, told AFP news agency.

"An explosive device went off," Governor Igor Orlov said. "One person was killed and three others were hospitalised."

Orlov said it was too early to say whether this was a suicide bombing. "Things are very serious," he said.

 

Orlov added that authorities were working to establish the identity of the dead person and the type of the explosive device.

 

"We are taking measures to increase security of all public and state buildings in Arkhangelsk region," he said.

A FSB representative for the Arkhangelsk region confirmed the explosion to AFP, but declined to provide further details.

 

The governor also inspected the scene and security services convened an emergency meeting.

Russia's National Anti-Terrorist Committee confirmed the blast, but did not immediately provide details.

Rescue services and law enforcement officers are currently working at the scene. Security measures in the region have been strengthened.</s>Sputnik has published Ruptly's video of the aftermath of an explosion, which went off in the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) building in the northwestern city of Arkhangelsk.

The footage showed a street in Arkhangelsk where the explosion occurred, with ambulance and fire-fighting vehicles having arrived at the scene.

At least one person was killed and three more injured in an explosion that ripped through Arkhangelsk's FSB building earlier on Wednesday, the region's governor Igor Orlov said.

READ MORE: Situation Near FSB Building in Russia's Arkhangelsk After Blast (VIDEO)

He cited investigators' efforts to determine the type of the explosive device, also pledging to bolster security of all public and state buildings in the region. The Russian Investigation Committee, for its part, announced that it had opened a terror probe into the incident.</s>A teenager set off a bomb at the entrance of a Russian federal security service building, injuring three security officials and killing himself, authorities said.

The man entered the local branch of the FSB intelligence agency in Akhangelsk, northern Russia, and removed the improvised explosive device from a bag, causing it to detonate, the National Anti-Terrorist Committee said.

The explosion killed the man and injured three FSB officers. It was not immediately clear if the teen had meant to just leave the bomb or had also intended to die.

Russian investigators later identified the attacker as a local 17-year-old man and said they are treating the attack as an act of terrorism.

The FSB and other security have been targeted in the past in another region, the North Caucasus, mostly by Islamist insurgents.

An 'anarchist' named Valeryan Panov claimed responsibility for the attack in a web posting, but FSB were checking various theories as to the perpetrator.

The man claimed in a message ahead of the blast that the FSB 'fabricates cases and tortures people'.

He warned: 'A terrorist attack will now be conducted in the building of the FSB in Arkhangelsk that I am taking responsibility for.'

He wrote: 'Most likely I will die because of the explosion because explosive device will go off with me pushing the button installed on top of the bomb.'

Panev’s real name is believed to be Mikhail Zhlobitskiy, and images show a man believed to be him entering the FSB building minutes before the explosion.

Regional governor Igor Orlov said: 'An unidentified explosive device went off.

'Three people have been taken to hospital.

'One person has died, his identity is being established. The crime happened inside the building.'

Two FSB staff were wounded - a 32 year old man with explosive wounds to his face and arms is in intensive care, and a woman was being checked by doctors.

A source said: 'A man walked into the FSB building, pulled something out of his bag and some minutes later this exploded in his hands.

'He received fatal wounds. Three FSB staff were injuired.'

An eyewitness called Maria said: 'One man was taken out on stretches, his head was covered in blood. It all looked and felt really scary.'

Local reports said there was a 'loud clap' and a 'flash' at the entrance to the former KGB security service.

A report by Mash Telegram news outlet said: 'The first information is that the explosive detonated between the first and second doors right next to metal detector.'

The FSB was formerly headed by Vladimir Putin.

Arkhangelsk, also known as Archangel, is a strategically important sub-Arctic port and naval base on the White Sea in northern Russia.</s>One person was killed and three injured when an bomb exploded at a Russian federal security service building in Arkhangelsk in northern Russia, an official said.

The explosive device went off at the entrance of the FSB building on Wednesday morning, a spokesperson confirmed.

According to Russia's state-run TASS news agency, the victim was not a member of the FSB, and sources claimed it was the alleged perpetrator who was killed in the blast.

Regional governor Igor Orlov said: 'An unidentified explosive device went off.

'Three people have been taken to hospital.

'One person has died, his identity is being established. The crime happened inside the building.'

Two FSB staff were wounded - a 32 year old man with explosive wounds to his face and arms is in intensive care, and a woman was being checked by doctors.

A source said: 'A man walked into the FSB building, pulled something out of his bag and some minutes later this exploded in his hands.

'He received fatal wounds. Three FSB staff were injuired.'

An eyewitness called Maria said: 'One man was taken out on stretches, his head was covered in blood. It all looked and felt really scary.'

Local reports said there was a 'loud clap' and a 'flash' at the entrance to the former KGB security service.

A report by Mash Telegram news outlet said: 'The first information is that the explosive detonated between the first and second doors right next to metal detector.'

An 'anarchist' named Valeryan Panov claimed responsibility for the attack in a web posting but FSB were checking various theories as to the perpetrator.

The man claimed in a message ahead of the blast that the FSB 'fabricates cases and tortures people'.

He warned: 'A terrorist attack will now be conducted in the building of the FSB in Arkhangelsk that I am taking responsibility for.'

He wrote: 'Most likely I will die because of the explosion because explosive device will go off with me pushing the button installed on top of the bomb.'

The FSB was formerly headed by Vladimir Putin.

Arkhangelsk, also known as Archangel, is a strategically important sub-Arctic port and naval base on the White Sea in northern Russia.</s>A suicide bombing in the offices of Russia’s Federal Security Service in Arkhangelsk in northern Russia has left three injured.

Investigators said a 17-year-old local male had been carrying the bomb in a bag and detonated it on Wednesday shortly after entering the FSB’s offices in the city, which is just south of the Arctic circle.

A CCTV still published by Russian media showed the suspect in a heavy coat reaching with his right arm into a black backpack shortly before the blast. No motive was given for the attack, but Russia’s Investigative Committee opened a terrorist investigation.

The FSB is Russia’s main security agency and manages the country’s border guard service, counterterrorism and counter-intelligence activities. It is viewed as the main successor to the Soviet-era KGB and inherited the Lubyanka headquarters in Moscow. However, there are significant differences between the agencies.

While attacks on Russian law enforcement are not unheard of, they have mostly taken place in the North Caucasus region, where the country is battling a diminished Islamist insurgency and previously fought two wars in Chechnya. Islamic State claimed responsibility for a series of coordinated attacks in Chechnya this August that included children as young as 11. They were recruited over social media.

The motive for Wednesday’s attack is unclear. Some Russian media pointed to a post on the Telegram messaging service shortly before the blast. In it, a user who identified himself as an anarchist, said he would carry out an attack in Arkhangelsk because the FSB “fakes cases and tortures people”.

The FSB was accused of brutally interrogating members of leftist political groups before elections and Russia’s World Cup. But any ties between that user and the bomber have not been confirmed.

Russia’s Investigative Committee has said it is still investigating the motive for the attack. A spokesman told the Interfax news service that the agency’s head “has ordered that the motive of the crime committed by the teenager and its causes and circumstances be established swiftly, and that his social circle, family situation, and relations be identified and analysed”.
A seventeen-year-old local student, who studied at a nearby polytechnic school, detonates an explosive device inside a Federal Security Service building in Arkhangelsk, Russia, killing himself and wounding three FSB officers. The agency is Russia's primary state security agency and a successor to the KGB.