Putin denounces 'terrorist attack' at school

MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday denounced an "inhuman terrorist attack" at a school in central Russia's Izhevsk city, where a gunman opened fire leaving at least 13 people dead, the Kremlin said.

"President Putin deeply mourns the deaths of people, children at a school where there was a terrorist attack by a person, who apparently belongs to a neo-fascist group," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

"The president wishes for the recovery of those injured as a result of this inhuman terrorist attack."

Peskov also described the shooting as "a terrorist act".

Investigators said six adults and seven children died in the attack that also left more than 20 people injured.

Russia's Investigative Committee said the shooting took place in School No 88 in Izhevsk, a city about 960 kilometers east of Moscow in the Udmurtia region. It identified the wounded as 14 children and seven adults.

Alexander Brechalov, governor of Udmurtia, said in a video statement that the gunman shot himself.

The Investigative Committee identified the gunman as 34-year-old Artyom Kazantsev, a graduate of the same school. It said in a statement that Kazantsev wore a black T-shirt bearing "Nazi symbols". No details about his motives have been released.

Russia's National Guard said Kazantsev used two nonlethal handguns adapted to fire real bullets.

A criminal probe into the incident has been launched on charges of multiple murders and illegal possession of firearms.

Brechalov declared a period of mourning in the region to last until Thursday.

Agencies Via Xinhua