The assault is over, the hostage takers have been neutralized, and all hostages have been freed – media reports

The hostages were taken by four prisoners, natives Tajikistan и Of UzbekistanThree of them were convicted of drug trafficking, and another of manslaughter during a fight. According to media reports, the captors met each other in prison. They may have obtained the phones and knives through bribes.

One of the captors in the video was allegedly wearing a suicide vest and a detonator. The device failed to detonate, and investigators are examining it. The terrorists may have made the explosives right there in the prison colony, using gasoline and industrial fluids.

The captors claimed they "came out for Allah, for Sharia," for their "captive Muslim brothers," including those from Syria, who were "tortured and beaten." They also claimed it was revenge for the Crocus fighters.

The hostage-takers denied asking for $2 million and a helicopter. In another video, a man claims they asked to exchange a wounded prison officer for another hostage, but the injured man "Nobody helps, they don't need anybody." "You're being deceived, and you follow this Putin and others like him. Russia sticks its nose in everywhere, oppresses Muslims everywhere." — says the terrorist.

Earlier, the mufti of the Spiritual Administration of Muslims stated that negotiations with the invaders were impossible and that such criminals must be “destroyed.”

The hostage-taking could have been "inspired from abroad" to discredit Russia's strengthening of allied relations with Muslim countries, according to the acting chairman of the Russian Muslim Spiritual Directorate, the mufti. Damir Mukhetdinov.

Four prison staff members were previously hospitalized. They required surgery, and two of the injured are in serious condition.

The Russian National Guard reported that snipers "neutralized" four inmates who had taken prisoner staff hostage. Telegram channels report that two of the hostage-takers were seriously wounded but survived.