Nevsky Express Bombing,

November 27, 2009

Information Cutoff: Date: 3:30 PM 11/29/2009

NYPD SHIELD intelligence briefs are current as of the information cutoff date. The
information is therefore preliminary and subject to further analysis and revision.

NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau 1

 Summary
• At approximately 2125 hours
local time (1825 GMT) on
November 27 the Nevsky
Express between Moscow and
St. Petersburg was derailed by
an IED.
• 25 people were killed and more
than 100 were injured.
• An IED believed to be equal to 15
lbs. of TNT left a 5 ft. wide by 3 ft.
deep crater at the site.
• While there have been no claims
of responsibility, key suspects
are believed to be Northern
Caucasus militants and extreme
Russian nationalists.

NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau 2

 Details
• The Nevsky express is a high-
speed train popular with
government officials and
business executives.
• On Friday evening it was
carrying about 681 passengers,
including a crew of 20.
• There were no U.S. citizens on
board.
• The bombing took place near the
small town of Bologye about 250
miles northwest of Moscow.
• The blast derailed the last three
cars of the 14 car train, which
was traveling at about 125 mph.

NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau 3

 Details
• Russia has opened a criminal
case under the terrorism law.
• Investigators are looking into
a group of people seen in the
vicinity shortly before the
bombing.
• Evidence was found at the
scene and sketches of
subjects are being circulated.
• The Nevsky Express was
bombed in August of 2007,
injuring about 60 people.
• Chechen militants were
believed to be responsible for
that attack.

NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau 4

 Implications for New York

• The New York Metropolitan area has one of the most

extensive mass transit networks in the world.
• Trains and other modes of mass transportation are
vulnerable to relatively low cost attacks with a high
probability of success.
• Around the clock vigilance on the part of the public,
law enforcement, and security personnel is the only
way to protect the city’s vital transportation
infrastructure.

NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau 5

 Sources
• Pravada, “Terror Attack on Nevsky Express,” 11/28/2009.
• BBC News, “Russia Steps up Train Blast Probe,”
11/29/2009.
• Los Angeles Times, “Russian Homemade Bomb Caused
Deadly Train Derailment,” 11/29/2009.
• BBC News, “ Russian Police Issue Appeal after Blast
Derails Train,” 11/29/2009
• Time Online, “Murder on the Nevsky Express,”
11/20/2009.
• CNN, “Dozens Killed in Russian Train Derailment,”
11/29/2009.

NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau 6

 Richard J. Kaminski
Director, Intelligence Analysis

richard.kaminski@nypd.org

NYPD SHIELD Website

http://www.nypdshield.org

NYPD Counterterrorism Bureau 7