In a Russian prison located in Surovkino, about 860 kilometers southeast of Moscow, inmates reportedly took guards as hostages and declared allegiance to the Islamic State group, causing injuries to at least four individuals, as per Russian news reports on Friday. Specific details regarding the incident were limited, with no precise numbers provided regarding the hostage-takers or hostages.
A video released by Russian news site Meduza purportedly depicted the situation inside the prison, showing men brandishing knives both indoors and in the prison yard, with several individuals in what seemed to be guard uniforms lying injured on the ground. State news agency Tass indicated that four victims had been transported to a nearby hospital, with two in critical condition. Unconfirmed reports circulating on Telegram messaging channels suggested that there might have been one or two fatalities.
The alleged attackers in the video professed their support for the Islamic State and the individuals detained in connection with the terrorist attack on a Moscow concert hall in March that resulted in the deaths of 145 people. An IS branch had claimed responsibility for the assault, during which gunmen targeted concertgoers awaiting a performance by a popular music group and set fire to the venue. Tass mentioned that court records revealed four of the hostage-takers hailed from former Soviet Central Asian nations, while all the suspects linked to the concert hall incident were from Tajikistan.
Authorities took action by sealing off the road leading to the prison and dispatching officers to quell the violence.