No Pinoys killed in Russia suicide blast - DFA

MANILA, Philippines - There are no Filipino casualties in the suicide bombing incident in southern Russia that killed at least 15 people on Sunday, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said.

In his Twitter account, DFA spokesperson Raul Hernandez said the Philippine Embassy in Moscow reported that there were no Filipinos among those killed and injured in the Volgograd blast.

According to an Associated Press (AP) report, a suicide bomber struck a busy railway station in Volgograd, killing at least 15 people and wounding scores more.

The report said the incident was "a stark reminder of the threat Russia is facing as it prepares to host February's Olympics in Sochi."

No one immediately claimed responsibility for the incident, but it came several months after Chechen rebel leader Doku Umarov called for new attacks against civilian targets in Russia, including the Sochi Games. -with AP