Support The Moscow Times!

All Bodies Recovered in Aftermath of Russian Apartment Block Blast

Investigative Committee

Russia’s former mining town of Shakhty is gearing up for a day of mourning Wednesday as a fifth and final body was recovered from the rubble of an apartment building hit by an explosion earlier this week.

Authorities in Rostov region, 1,000 kilometers south of Moscow, say the top two floors of a nine-story building in Shakhty exploded Monday because of a gas leak. Gas is also blamed on the partial collapse of an apartment block Dec. 31 in the industrial city of Magnitogorsk in which 39 people were killed.

“The body of the fifth victim was found. Search and rescue operations have been completed,” Interfax quoted an unnamed Emergency Situations Ministry official as saying Wednesday.

The explosion destroyed four apartments and damaged 16 near the epicenter of the explosion on the ninth floor, the news agency cited the official as saying.

Rostov region’s governor declared a day of mourning in Shakhty for Wednesday.

Investigators opened a criminal case into death by negligence, a sentence that carries up to four years in prison.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

Our weekly newsletter contains a hand-picked selection of news, features, analysiss and more from The Moscow Times. You will receive it in your mailbox every Friday. Never miss the latest news from Russia. Preview
Subscribers agree to the Privacy Policy

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.

Once
Monthly
Annual
Continue
paiment methods
Not ready to support today?
Remind me later.

Read more