First act of sabotage near Moscow. Train derails following explosion
After freight cars derailed in Ryazan Oblast, Russia's Investigative Committee opened a criminal case. The cause of the accident was an improvised explosive device detonation.
9:44 AM EST, November 13, 2023
An investigation considering charges related to terrorism and illegal procurement, transmission, or storage of explosive devices, has been initiated by Russia's Investigative Committee, as reported by Radio Svoboda on Sunday. The explosion caused 19 wagons to derail and damage 15 of them.
Moscow Railways was the first to report about the train derailment, suspecting an "unauthorized person intervention." Residents corroborate this as they claimed to have heard an explosion before seeing the wagons derailed.
Mash and Shot Telegram channels reported that security forces are in pursuit of two suspects in Ryazan, approximately 124 miles southeast of Moscow. The local residents noticed these individuals on the railroad tracks near Diagilevo station. Shot also reported finding two improvised explosive devices on the track, which exploded as the freight train passed over them.
The independent Russian portal Mediazona, suggests that this incident in Ryazan Oblast is likely the first case of railway sabotage to occur this close to Moscow.
Mediazona's analysis reveals nearly 150 cases of railway sabotage have been reported in Russia since the onset of the war. The number of individuals charged with this offense has doubled within six months and including new aspects in the criminal code resulted in a surge in cases. The maximum penalty for this crime is now life imprisonment. Surprisingly, one-third of those charged are minors.
