Support The Moscow Times!

Russian Schoolgirl Injured in Knife Attack

Kirill Kukhmar / TASS

A schoolgirl has reportedly been injured in the Siberian city of Kemerovo, in the wake of a string of knife attacks in schools across Russia.

Two high-profile attacks in the Far East and the Urals last month have led to a federal crackdown on online communities that promote violence. Russia’s popular Vkontakte social network reportedly took down nine groups dedicated to the 1999 Columbine High School massacre this week.

A public school administrator in the southern city of Kemerovo called the latest attack “an accident,” the state-run TASS news agency reported Thursday.

“The boy happened to have a knife. He was playing with it, the knife flew off and injured the girl,” the school administrator was cited as saying.

“There are no reasons for a scandal, [it was] just an accident,” the unnamed administrator said.

Regional investigators said the victim was hospitalized with light injuries after being stabbed by a 15-year-old.

“[He] wanted to stick the knife in the backpack of a 13-year-old girl that hung on her back,” an online statement said.

“She turned slightly at that moment, and he encountered the victim instead of the backpack.”

… we have a small favor to ask.

As you may have heard, The Moscow Times, an independent news source for over 30 years, has been unjustly branded as a "foreign agent" by the Russian government. This blatant attempt to silence our voice is a direct assault on the integrity of journalism and the values we hold dear.

We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. Our commitment to providing accurate and unbiased reporting on Russia remains unshaken. But we need your help to continue our critical mission.

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 you can be confident that you're making a significant impact every month by supporting open, independent journalism. Thank you.

Continue

Read more