"One of the versions of the investigation" is that the regime of President Dzhokhar Dudayev "is involved in this bomb attack," said Sergei Bogdanov, chief spokesman for the Moscow department of the service, the former KGB.
"Fifteen minutes before the explosion a cargo train was due to go over the bridge" late Friday night, Bogdanov said, noting that Dudayev constantly threatened Russia with terrorist acts over its support of opposition forces in Chechnya.
Andrei Kostromin, another service spokesman, said the explosion occurred on a bridge across the Yauza river in the north of Moscow at 11:40 P.M. on Friday.
The bridge itself was undamaged but three meters of railroad track were destroyed, Kostromin said, adding, "It was a very powerful explosion."
A top city police official who declined to be named said a man was found dead near the explosion site.
"We established that this man installed the explosive devices but probably was killed due to careless handling of them," the official said.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.