Russia neutralizes an explosive device in St. Petersburg

St. Petersburg authorities today defused an explosive device found inside a residential complex in the city.

The building where the explosive device was found in St. Petersburg is sealed off. Photo: RT

Residents of a residential complex in St. Petersburg, Russia, were evacuated after authorities discovered an explosive device inside an apartment, RT reported. The device was later defused. Police have detained several suspects in connection with the incident.

"Around 6am, I heard a loud noise on the stairs... Then I saw the police taking people out of the apartment next door. Around 8am, they started evacuating the entire building," a witness recounted.

All residents of the apartment complex are safe, according to Konstantin Serov, head of the district administration where the explosive device was found. Investigators are still working at the scene. Serov also said that the owner of the apartment was not present when the apartment was searched.

Russia is shaken by a bombing that occurred on April 3 between the Sennaya and Technological Institute metro stations in St. Petersburg, killing 14 people and injuring 49. Russian authorities confirmed that the suspect was Akbardzhon Dzhalilov, born in 1995 in the city of Osh, Kyrgyzstan.

According to VNE