Huge explosion in Saint Petersburg; Russia intercepts car bomb in Crimea

A large explosion occurred at an apartment building in the Krasnogvardeysky district of the northeastern city of Saint Petersburg, Russia, early on March 2. TASS news agency reported that many windows were broken and balconies on two floors were damaged. The five-story building was built in 1979.

Nổ lớn tại Saint Petersburg; Nga chặn xe bom tại Crimea- Ảnh 1. — Security personnel at the scene of the explosion in Saint Petersburg on March 2.

Saint Petersburg Mayor Alexander Beglov said there were no casualties from the explosion and that people living in the affected apartments had been evacuated. Nearly 100 ambulance and fire crews were working at the scene, which has been cordoned off.

The cause of the explosion is not yet clear, but according to local media, the incident occurred when an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) crashed into the apartment building.

A video was released showing the moment the UAV crashed into the building. Residents were warned of a potential second attack and all communications in the area were blocked.

Nổ lớn tại Saint Petersburg; Nga chặn xe bom tại Crimea- Ảnh 2. — A broken apartment window after the explosion

Several local news sites reported that two UAVs were seen in Saint Petersburg and another may have crashed in the Vsevolzhsky district in the east of the city.

On the same day, the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) stopped a car loaded with explosives as it entered Crimea from the Kherson region in southern Ukraine. Russia has annexed both regions and is now in control of Crimea and part of Kherson. RT sources said the car was being driven by a law enforcement officer and was stopped for inspection. FSB officers found an object resembling an explosive device under the driver's seat.

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The vehicle was taken to a safe location and the bomb disposal team defused the device. Experts determined that the improvised explosive device was “assembled using foreign-made components supplied to Ukraine by NATO countries.” Authorities have opened an investigation to identify those involved in the plot.

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