Surovikino penal colony hostage crisis

{{Short description|2024 mass stabbing attack in Volgograd Oblast, Southern Russia}}

{{Infobox event

| title =

| image = File:Map of Russia (2014–2022) - Volgograd Oblast.svg

| image_upright =

| caption = Volgograd oblast in Russia

| time = {{circa}} 12:30 – 16:58

| timezone = MSK

| date = {{start date|2024|08|23|df=yes}}

| location = IK-19 Surovikino penal colony, Surovikino, Volgograd Oblast, Russia

| coordinates = {{coord |48|36|31|N|42|52|35|E |region:RU-VGG_type:event |display=inline,title}}

| type = Mass stabbing, hostage-taking

| motive =

Revenge for the detention of the suspects in the Crocus City Hall attack{{citeweb |lang=ru |website=Силовой Блок |url= https://www.sila-rf.ru/2024/08/23/radikaly-v-ik-19-zayavili-chto-mstyat-za-napavshih-na-krokus-terroristov/amp/ |title= Радикалы в ИК-19 заявили, что мстят за напавших на «Крокус» террористов |date=2024-08-23 |access-date=2024-08-23 }}

| target =

| perpetrator = {{flagicon|Islamic State}} Islamic State{{Cite news |date=30 August 2024 |title=In Report on Attack Inside Volgograd Prison, IS Focuses on Motive of Revenge and Notes Indoctrination of Executors by Fellow Inmates |url=https://ent.siteintelgroup.com/Jihadist-Threat-Statements/in-report-on-attack-inside-volgograd-prison-is-focuses-on-motive-of-revenge-and-notes-indoctrination-of-executors-by-fellow-inmates.html |work=SITE}}

| participants =

| outcome =

| deaths = 13 (including four attackers){{Cite web |date=August 26, 2024 |title=Число погибших в результате захвата заложников в колонии под Волгоградом достигло 13 человек |quote=The death toll as a result of hostage-taking in a colony near Volgograd has reached 13 people |url=https://www.kavkazr.com/a/chislo-pogibshih-v-rezuljtate-zahvata-zalozhnikov-v-kolonii-pod-volgogradom-dostiglo-13-chelovek/33092673.html |access-date=August 26, 2024 |website=Kavkazr |language=ru}}

| injuries = 2{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2024 |title=Four Penitentiary Service employees killed by terrorists in Volgograd during penal colony hostage incident |url=https://en.apa.az/cis-countries/isis-members-killed-3-employees-of-penal-colony-and-took-several-people-hostage-in-volgograd-updated-446047 |access-date=August 23, 2024 |website=Azerbaijani Press Agency |language=en}}

| inquiries =

| arrests =

| suspects =

}}

On 23 August 2024, four prison inmates attacked the guards of the IK-19 Surovikino penal colony{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2024 |title=1 Killed as Inmates in Russia's Volgograd Region Take Prison Guards Hostage |website=The Moscow Times |url=https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2024/08/23/1-killed-as-inmates-in-russias-volgograd-region-take-prison-guards-hostage-a86125 }} in Surovikino, in Volgograd Oblast of southern Russia and took hostages.{{cite web |website=Barrons |url=https://www.barrons.com/amp/news/russian-inmates-take-staff-hostage-at-prison-colony-a7e3003c |title=Russian Inmates Take Staff Hostage At Prison Colony |date=2024-08-23 |access-date=2024-08-23 }}

Unconfirmed reports said the attackers were linked to the Islamic State.{{cite web |url=https://360.ru/news/proisshestviya/neizvestnye-zahvatili-ik-no-19-v-volgograde-sotrudnika-fsin-ubili/?from=inf_cards |lang=ru |website=360 |title=Неизвестные захватили ИК 19 в Волгограде, сотрудника ФСИН убили |date=2024-08-23 |access-date=2024-08-23 }} The attackers claimed they were taking revenge for the detained suspects in the Crocus City Hall attack in March 2024.

Attack

At 16:00, the assault on the colony began during a meeting of the colony’s disciplinary committee. The attackers took 12 hostages, including eight prison staff members and four inmates.{{citeweb |lang=en |website=Azerbaijani Press Agency |url= https://en.apa.az/cis-countries/isis-members-killed-3-employees-of-penal-colony-and-took-several-people-hostage-in-volgograd-updated-446047 |title=Four Penitentiary Service employees killed by terrorists in Volgograd during penal colony hostage incident |date=2024-08-23 |access-date=2024-08-23 }} Three prison employees were killed, while four other people were injured.{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2024 |title=At least one killed as inmates take staff hostage in Russian prison |website=Al Jazeera |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/8/23/at-least-one-killed-as-inmates-take-staff-hostage-in-russian-prison}} At 16:58, the assault ended, with all hostages being rescued. The attackers were killed{{citeweb |lang=ru |website=Ямал media |url= https://yamal-media.ru/news/shot-nachalsja-shturm-volgogradskoj-ik-19?from=main# |title= Силовики взяли штурмом волгоградскую ИК-19 и спасли заложников |date=2024-08-23 |access-date=2024-08-23 }} by snipers from the National Guard of Russia.{{Cite web |date=August 23, 2024 |title=Snipers kill 4 hostage-takers at Russian prison who claimed allegiance to Islamic State group |website=Associated Press |url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-prison-hostages-islamic-state-surovkino-8abca132d2c6e18030adced504bf40c5}} In the aftermath of the attack, two prison employees died to their injuries in hospital, one after the attack on August 23, and another on August 26.

Perpetrators

The four attackers were from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.{{cite web|url=https://www.vedomosti.ru/society/articles/2024/08/23/1057698-chem-zakonchilsya-zahvat-zalozhnikov|title=Чем закончился захват заложников в ИК-19 Волгоградской области|date=23 August 2024|work=Ведомости|language=ru}} Three were convicted for drug trafficking, the other for killing a person during a brawl.{{cite web|url=https://ria.ru/20240823/fsin-1968141060.html|title=Умер еще один сотрудник ФСИН, попавший в заложники в ИК-19|date=23 August 2024|work=РИА Новости|language=ru}}

The men released videos amid the hostage-taking, pledging allegiance to the Islamic State, and announcing that they were avenging the IS perpetrators of the Crocus City Hall attack.{{cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/russia-prison-hostages-islamic-state-surovkino-8abca132d2c6e18030adced504bf40c5|title=Snipers kill 4 hostage-takers at Russian prison who claimed allegiance to Islamic State group|work=Associated Press|date=23 August 2024}}

On August 29th, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack in its weekly "Al-Naba" newsletter, as well as the Rostov-on-Don pre-trial detention center hostage crisis which took place two months prior in June, with otherwise 0 casualties, praising the attackers and noting the similarity of both revolts.{{Cite news |date=24 August 2024 |title=In Report on Attack Inside Volgograd Prison, IS Focuses on Motive of Revenge and Notes Indoctrination of Executors by Fellow Inmates |url=https://ent.siteintelgroup.com/Jihadist-Threat-Statements/in-report-on-attack-inside-volgograd-prison-is-focuses-on-motive-of-revenge-and-notes-indoctrination-of-executors-by-fellow-inmates.html |work=SITE}}

Management negligence

After a similar incident in Rostov, the heads of local prisons stated that they were always ready for such cases, and that new precautions should not be introduced.{{cite web |lang=ru |website=Новости Волгограда |url= https://novostivolgograda.ru/news/2024-06-17/u-nas-ne-prohodnoy-dvor-sizo-volgograda-rabotayut-v-shtatnom-rezhime-posle-chp-v-rostove-5112428 |title=У нас не проходной двор: СИЗО Волгограда всегда работают в штатном режиме после ЧП в Ростове |date=2024-06-17 |access-date=2024-08-23 }} State Duma deputy Alexander Khinshtein complained about corruption in the penal colony, during which workers sold knives and phones to militants, despite the increased threat.{{cite web |lang=ru |website=Volgograd 1 |url= https://v1.ru/text/incidents/2024/08/23/73997828/ |title= «Откуда у заключенных ножи и телефоны?» Депутат Госдумы прокомментировал бунт в колонии под Волгоградом |date=2024-07-23 |access-date=2024-08-23 }}