Exclusive to Al Jazeera Net
Moscow- Prisoners were detained in a correctional center in the Surovikino district of the Volgograd region in the southwest. Russia A number of prison employees were taken hostage, with initial information indicating that one of them was killed and others were injured.
The incident took place on Friday afternoon, during a meeting of the disciplinary committee of the heavily guarded prison, which is part of the Russian prison service, which confirmed that it is currently trying to free the hostages with the help of special forces.
The Mash Telegram channel reported that the prisoners who held the hostages demanded $2 million, a helicopter with a pilot, and an air corridor to the southeast to leave the country in exchange for the release of the hostages.
The channel also added that the members of the group that carried out the kidnapping operation introduced themselves as members of the Islamic State organization in Russia.
According to official information, the attack was launched by at least 3 prisoners and resulted in the death of one hostage and the injury of 3 others seriously.
The fate of the prison director
There were conflicting reports about the fate of prison director Andrei Devyatov, as news websites reported that he was held hostage, while other sources confirmed that he managed to escape and is now in the hospital in the intensive care unit.
In addition, the websites Ryadovka and Ostorozhna Novosti published video recordings showing the hostages demanding that the kidnappers’ demands be met.
The number of hostages held, or the number of those killed or injured during the operation, has not yet been officially announced.
The prison is located on the outskirts of the city of Surovikino in the Volgograd region, and is subject to a strict detention regime, and houses 1,229 prisoners.
