One person was killed and several others, including two police officers, were injured in an explosion in Dnipro on 14 December, according to local authorities. The local police and Ukraine’s Security Service (SBU) reported the detainment of a 37-year-old suspect, linked to Russia.
The incident occurred around 14:45 on 14 December at the intersection of Stepan Bandera and Lesia Ukrainka streets, according to public broadcaster Suspilne. Emergency services, including police investigators, bomb technicians, and forensic specialists, responded to the scene, the police reported.
A local resident, Yaroslav, who was at home during the incident, told Suspilne:
“I was in the kitchen with my dog. There was an explosion, the dog ran away. I got my bearings and went to the corridor too. The explosion was unusual, not quite like a rocket. It was as if a car exploded. Not the kind of explosion we’re used to when a missile hits.”
Dnipro Oblast Governor Serhii Lysak characterized the incident as a terrorist attack and thanked law enforcement for their work in finding those responsible.
Later that day, Dnipro police reported detaining a suspect, identified as a 37-year-old local resident who allegedly acted on instructions from Russian special services. The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) qualified the crime as a terrorist act under Article 258, Part 3 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
The SBU and National Police later confirmed the suspect had planted and detonated a homemade explosive device near a military recruitment center. The suspect, who had previous convictions, was taken to a police station for questioning. Searches were being conducted at his residence.
The injured police officers were hospitalized, with medical staff fighting for their lives. The pre-trial investigation continues as authorities work to establish all circumstances and identify others who may be involved in the crime.
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