Russian graduate, 18, ‘blows himself up’ outside Orthodox school ‘in revenge for being bullied’

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 is in a ‘critical condition’ after he detonated his home-made bomb in a blast which left 12 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.   

Ex-student Vladislav Struzhenkov (pictured) is in a ‘critical condition’ after detonating his home-made bomb, with the blast injuring at least 12 pupils

The damage caused by the explosion can be seen here at the Orthodox school in Sepukhov

‘An 18-year-old graduate of this educational institution entered the premises of the Orthodox gymnasium of the Vvedenskiy Vladychniy convent and blew himself up’, Russia’s Interior Ministry said in a statement.  

The ministry confirmed a 15-year-old student was injured in the blast and said the staff of the school had been evacuated and that ‘information about other victims’ was being clarified.

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.

A law enforcement source told TASS news agency: ‘He has survived but lost his leg as a result of the blast. The young man was hospitalised in a critical condition.’  

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’.’

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’. Pictured: Emergency services at the scene

Moscow prosecutors posted a video from the scene of the incident, with police and ambulance cars outside the convent in snowfall. 

A-15 year-old student was among at least 12 reported as wounded with cuts and shrapnel injuries. 

The suspect was reportedly ‘motivated by his hatred of the school teachers and nuns’.

His father Andrey Struzhenkov, 41, said he had believed his son was buying fireworks for New Year.

The explosion came as the school day started at the school at Vvedenskiy Vladychniy Nunnery, one of the oldest in Russia.

Filip Savostin, a local street lifting coach, said: ‘I have trained Vladislav since 2018.

‘I only saw him from the positive side, never had any issues with him.

‘It was mainly his grandmother who cared for his upbringing.’

The Investigative Committee, which probes major crimes, said it had sent detectives to the scene.

Struzhenkov is now under criminal investigation for attempted murder. 

Russia has seen a rise in teenage attacks on schools in recent years.

In September, a student killed six people and wounded dozens on a university campus in the Urals city of Perm.

In May, a 19-year-old opened fire in his old school in the central city of Kazan, killing nine people.