Explosives placed in a bag under a tree in downtown Stavropol blew up Wednesday, killing three women sitting on a bench nearby and injuring at least 13 other people, officials said.
The Investigative Committee said in a statement that the blast occurred near an outdoor cafe that served the Stavropol Concert Hall.
A renowned Chechen dance company, Vainakh, was scheduled to perform there 15 minutes after the blast struck, the statement said.
The statement said 13 people had been hospitalized with injuries.
A regional Emergency Situations Ministry spokesman, who asked not to be named in line with official policy, said four people had died and 39 were wounded.
“This is an unprecedented, brutal provocation,” said Stavropol Governor Valery Gayevsky, Interfax reported.
State television quoted witnesses describing victims covered in blood and running around in panic.
(AP, Reuters)
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