In a telegram of condolence to President Vladimir Putin, Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed her dismay at the bomb explosion in St. Petersburg. She said her thoughts are with the families of those who have lost their lives and with those injured. Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel also expressed his "deep shock".
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All indications are this this was a cowardly attack. "Should these suspicions prove correct, it would be a barbaric act which I condemn in the strongest possible terms. The individuals behind it must be found and brought to justice," said Chancellor Angela Merkel on Monday in a telegram of condolence to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Following the explosion of a bomb in the St. Petersburg metro on Monday, the death toll has now risen to 14. Eleven people died at the scene. Another three have since died of their injuries in ambulances on their way to hospital or in hospital, announced the Russian Ministry of Health on Tuesday.
On the margins of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday, Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel commented on the explosion in St. Petersburg’s metro. "We do not yet know what happened exactly, nor do we have any information about the background. However, there are many indications at the moment that this was a malicious attack on innocent people who were simply going about their daily lives. There is absolutely no justification for this criminal act," stressed Sigmar Gabriel.
The Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs stated clearly, "This shows that we have a serious opponent everywhere in the world – terrorists and people who aim to spread fear among others."