A suicide bomber detonated an explosive device this morning in the train station of the southern Russian city of Volgograd. 14 people were killed, and 34 people were injured. The attack comes just weeks before the beginning of the Winter Olympics in the nearby city of Sochi.
The AP has video of the explosion captured on a nearby security camera. Fair warning, while the video is not gory, it does capture an attack which resulted in death:
The bomber is reported to be named Oksana Aslanova, according to Russia Today, and was identified when investigators recovered her head. Rather ominously, RT says that both of her former husbands have already been "eliminated."
Of the 34 people injured, eight are in serious condition. The death toll would have been higher were it not for the bomber being stopped at a police checkpoint.
While Russia's southern regions have long been a hotbed of violence and terrorism, a strike so close in time to one of Russian President Vladimir Putin's most anticipated events, and the most expensive Olympics in history, is undoubtedly an attempt at drawing doubt as to the safety of the Games.
Sochi and Volgograd, formerly known as Stalingrad, are separated by a scant 600 miles.
In a testament to how strong Russia's will is to make everything run smoothly, Russian officials said they anticipate that the blast "will not seriously affect train transit."
More as we have it.
Suicide Attacker Detonates Bomb In Russian Train Station