In Volgograd region, prisoners seized the high-security penal colony 19 in Surovikino. A meeting of the disciplinary commission was held there. Several people were allegedly killed.
Telegram channels close to law enforcement agencies publish a video, presumably filmed in the colony. In the video, those who seized the colony, four of them, call themselves “mujahideen of the Islamic State.” The recording shows four hostages. All of them are wearing FPS uniforms, three of them appear to have been killed, the fourth is wounded in the neck. The attackers are armed with knives.
Telegram channels report the names of the suspects, they are two citizens of Uzbekistan and two citizens of Tajikistan. Three of them are convicted for drug distribution, the publications claim, one person – for intentional infliction of serious harm to health. The names have not been officially confirmed.
One of those who seized the colony recorded a video in which he claimed that FPS officers violated the rights of Muslims. “They killed those who harassed and tortured Muslims. They took away books from someone, mats from someone. Here we are the same with them, no mercy,” the author of the video said.
The seizure is confirmed by the regional department of the Federal Penitentiary Service. It is reported there that “measures are being taken to free the hostages”. It is unknown how many people were seized. The publication Baza claims that five hostages, including the head of the colony Andrei Devyatov, managed to escape. Devyatov is in intensive care, the publication says. Interfax says that Devyatov was released, while three are in intensive care.
The Life and Sapa Kavkaz publications report that special forces have been pulled to the colony. The prisoners who seized the colony, according to the publication Sapa Kavkaz, demand 2 million dollars and a helicopter. The publication does not give the source from which this information was obtained. A criminal case on the fact of hostage-taking has been opened. A team from the central office of the Federal Penitentiary Service has left for the place.
This is the second hostage-taking in the Russian correctional system in two months. In June, pre-trial detention center 1 in Rostov-on-Don was seized by prisoners held there. It was alleged that they were supporters of the Islamic State. Two hostages were wounded at the time, and five of the six attackers were killed during the arrest.
After the events in Rostov, a source of the V1 edition in the Volgograd Region FPS Directorate said that the unit continues to work as usual. “Life goes on as usual, work continues as before,” the source said. He complained that in “some regions” the shortage of colony staff reaches “critical indicators.” “People are physically unable to do their work properly, to the end,” V1 quoted him as saying. – It is banal to check all detainees and convicts for prohibited items.”
According to the law, representatives of local authorities and public organizations can take part in the meetings of disciplinary commissions. The composition of the meeting in the colony is unknown.
