How Russian Special Forces Ended a Brutal Prison Uprising in Volgograd

Moscow: In a violent uprising at the high-security IK-19 Surovikino penal colony in Russia‘s Volgograd region on Friday, four prison staff members were killed. The revolt was initiated by a group of prisoners who claimed allegiance to ISIS, leading to a deadly confrontation with Russian special forces.

The disturbance began during a routine disciplinary meeting when four inmates, identified as Ramzidin Toshev (28), Rustamchon Navruzi (23), Nazirchon Toshov (28), and Temur Khusinov (29), launched a brutal attack. The attackers, originating from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, armed themselves with knives and targeted the prison guards, injuring several before taking eight prison staff and four fellow inmates hostage.

Images and videos of the attack quickly spread on social media, showing graphic scenes of violence, including a hostage situation where one guard was held at knifepoint and covered in blood. The attackers released videos declaring their loyalty to ISIS and claimed the assault was in retaliation for perceived injustices against Muslims.

As the situation intensified, Russian special forces, including elite snipers from the Rosgvardia National Guard, were dispatched to the scene in the remote town of Surovikino, about 850 kilometers south of Moscow. After tense negotiations, the special forces stormed the prison, resulting in the deaths of all four attackers. The operation, however, was not without loss, as four prison employees were killed—three on the spot and one later in the hospital—while several others sustained serious injuries.

The incident marks the second significant revolt in recent months, following a similar uprising in June at a prison in the Rostov region, where ISIS-linked prisoners also attempted a rebellion, leading to the deaths of five inmates.

Following the Volgograd incident, Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed on the situation, which was confirmed to pose no further threat to the civilian population. Volgograd’s regional governor, Andrei Bocharov, emphasized the importance of upholding Russian law, stating, “We will not permit anyone to incite ethnic discord on our territory.”