Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called an explosion that tore through a Saint Petersburg supermarket, wounding 13 people, “an act of terror.” “As you know, an act of terror took place in Saint Petersburg yesterday,” he said at a meeting of military officers in the Kremlin. The homemade bomb went off in a locker at the supermarket on Wednesday, officials said.
Anna Mityanina, Vice-Governor of Saint Petersburg, which is Russia’s second city, said on Twitter that of the 13 wounded eight remained in hospital care. Five people declined to be hospitalised, she added.
The explosion occurred at around 18:45 local time as Russians geared up to celebrate the New Year followed by Russian Orthodox Christmas, which falls on January 7.