A violent revolt at Russia’s high-security IK-19 Surovikino penal colony in the Volgograd region resulted in the deaths of four prison staff members on Friday. The unrest began when a group of inmates, affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS), took control of part of the prison and held hostages. The situation, which unfolded during a routine disciplinary meeting, led to a dramatic Volgograd standoff with Russian special forces.
The conflict erupted when four prisoners—Ramzidin Toshev (28), Rustamchon Navruzi (23), Nazirchon Toshov (28), and Temur Khusinov (29)—launched their attack. These individuals, hailing from Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, used knives to slash guards and took eight prison employees and four fellow inmates hostage. During the chaos, an image circulated on social media showing an inmate threatening a wounded guard, while other footage depicted the attackers in the prison yard with a bloodied hostage.
The attackers claimed allegiance to ISIS and stated that their actions were in retaliation for the persecution of Muslims. The prison, located in Surovikino, approximately 850 kilometers south of Moscow, turned into a battleground as Russian special forces, including elite snipers from the Rosgvardia National Guard, were deployed to handle the crisis.
After hours of intense negotiations and strategic planning, the special forces stormed the facility. In the ensuing operation, all four attackers were shot dead by snipers, ending the Volgograd standoff. Despite the resolution of the immediate threat, four prison staff members lost their lives—three at the scene and one later in the hospital. Several other guards and prisoners sustained severe injuries.
According to state news agency RIA, “Snipers of the special forces of the Russian National Guard in the Volgograd region, with four precise shots, neutralized four prisoners who had taken prison employees hostage. The hostages have been released.”
This incident marks the second attack of its kind in recent months. A similar hostage situation occurred in June at a prison in the Rostov region, involving ISIS-affiliated prisoners and resulting in five deaths.
In response to the Volgograd standoff, Russian President Vladimir Putin was briefed during a virtual meeting with security officials. It was confirmed that the incident posed no immediate threat to the civilian population. Volgograd’s regional governor, Andrei Bocharov, emphasized, “Everyone on our territory is obliged to respect and comply with the laws of Russia. We will not allow anyone to try to incite ethnic discord.”
