Two individuals, including a high-ranking city official, have died in an explosion in Stavropol. The incident occurred in the courtyard of a residential building, and authorities suspect an improvised explosive device was used.

Zaur Gurtiev, the first deputy mayor of Stavropol and a veteran, and a 29-year-old acquaintance were identified as the deceased. Investigators are exploring all possible motives, including a terrorist act, and have initiated a criminal case involving murder and illegal handling of explosive devices. Footage suggests a man approached Gurtiev moments before the explosion, potentially carrying the IED in a bag.

In a separate incident, a mass poisoning affected passengers aboard the Mikhail Bulgakov cruise ship. Forty-nine passengers traveling from St. Petersburg to Moscow showed symptoms of acute intestinal infection.

Those affected were isolated, and the ship continued its voyage. While one passenger declined hospitalization, others displayed symptoms such as nausea, diarrhea, and weakness. Some passengers experienced severe dehydration and decreased blood oxygen levels. The cause of the infection is under investigation, with one theory pointing to contaminated river water used in the ship’s kitchen. Authorities have sealed the ship’s canteens and restaurants due to concerns about unsanitary conditions. The Moscow Interregional Transport Prosecutor’s Office and Rospotrebnadzor are investigating the incident, which occurred as the ship was en route to Moscow.

Meanwhile, unseasonal snowfall has been reported in several regions of Russia. Residents of Krasnoyarsk, Buryatia, and the Novosibirsk region experienced May snowfall.

In Krasnoyarsk, the temperature dropped to -2 degrees Celsius, with snow blanketing the city. While temperatures later rose to +5 degrees Celsius with rain, the snowfall marked the second consecutive day of such weather in the area.