VOLGOGRAD. Aug 23 (Interfax) - The people injured in the hostage-taking incident at Penitentiary No. 19 in the Volgograd region are undergoing surgeries, and two of them are in grave condition, Anatoly Sebelev, chair of the healthcare committee of the Volgograd region, told reporters.
"Four injured Federal Penitentiary Service employees were admitted to the central regional hospital. Two people are in grave condition, and two are in moderately severe condition. Surgeries are currently taking place in the regional hospital," Sebelev said.
The Surovikino district medical service was reinforced with two surgical teams from the regional center and one team from a neighboring district, he said. Three ambulance teams from the Territorial Disaster Medicine Center and a helicopter are also involved in airlifting the injured individuals to the regional center.
The Russian Federal Penitentiary Service said earlier on Friday that inmates of Penitentiary No. 19 in the Volgograd region had taken hostages during a disciplinary commission meeting.
"Efforts are being taken to free the hostages," it said.
Actions of the inmates have led to casualties, it said
Governor of the Volgograd region Andrei Bocharov said that four employees of the Federal Penitentiary Service were hospitalized, having been attacked at the penitentiary. The region set up an operational headquarters to coordinate the release of the hostages. There is no threat to civilians. The Surovikino Central District Hospital told Interfax that three patients were admitted to an intensive care unit after the hostage-taking incident.
A criminal case was opened on counts of taking hostages and disorganizing the penitentiary's operations.
Penitentiary No. 19 of the Federal Penitentiary Service's branch in the Volgograd region is located on the outskirts of Surovikino. It is a high-security penitentiary with a maximum permissible population of 1,229 inmates.