An 18-year-old Russian graduate blew himself up outside his former Orthodox school in Russia an apparent revenge attack for allegedly being bullied by nuns there.
Ex-student Vladislav Struzhenkov died after he detonated his home-made bomb in a blast which left seven pupils injured.
The attack, which saw Struzhenkov also carrying a machete, took place at 8.24am local time at the Orthodox school linked to a nunnery in the city of Serpukhov, south of Moscow.
Vladislav Struzhenkov, an ex-student (pictured), died shortly after setting off his homemade bomb. The blast injured at least seven students.
Here’s a look at the destruction caused by the explosion in Sepukhov, Orthodox school
Russia’s Interior Ministry stated in a statement that an 18 year-old student of this educational institution entered the Orthodox gymnasium at the Vvedenskiy Vladychniy Convent and set himself on fire.
Ministry confirmed that the 15-year old student suffered injuries in the blast. They also said that the school staff had been evacuated.
Reports said that Struzhenkov had previously complained of being ‘bullied by the nuns’ who ran the school while one source said the attack had been ‘aimed at pupils’.
The attacker’s leg was blown off in the blast and police did not immediately permit paramedics to go close to Struzhenkov due to fears of another explosive device.
The teenager died of ‘blood loss’, police sources said.
Struzhenkov is believed to have planned to carry out the attack during the Orthodox school’s morning prayers, but he set off the explosives outside the prayer hall after he was unable to gain entry, reported Russian news agency TASS.
A grandfather of one of the pupils trapped inside the school told of the terror faced by students.
‘Children were running bare feet, in shirts, to hide inside a dining room,’ he said.
‘My grandson called me, he was shell-shocked.
‘He yelled: “Please come soon. There is smoke, explosions, there are cracks in the walls… They are scared [the attacker] has another explosive on him”.’
There were reports that Struzhenkov previously complained about being bullied by the nuns who run the school, while another source stated the attack was directed at the pupils. Pictured: The scene was attended by emergency services
Moscow prosecutor posted video footage from the scene with ambulance cars and police outside the convent.
At least seven students aged between 15 and 17 were wounded by cuts or shrapnel.
According to reports, the suspect was motivated by hatred for nuns and school teachers.
Andrey Struzhenkov’s father, aged 41, stated that he thought his son was buying fireworks to celebrate the new year.
It all happened as school began at Vvedenskiy Vladychniy Nunery, which is one of Russia’s oldest.
Filip Savostin (a local coach for streetlifting) said that he has trained Vladislav ever since 2018.
“I saw him only from the positive side. Never had any problems with him.
“It was his grandmother that cared most for him.”
Investigative Committee is a body that investigates major crimes and said it sent detectives on the scene.
In Russia, there has been an increase in attacks by teenagers on schools over the past few years.
Six people were killed and many more injured by a student at a Perm University campus, which is located in Urals.
A 19-year old set fire to his Kazan school, killing nine students.