An explosion close to a train station in Germany led to a temporary closure of the transport hub in Augsburg on Wednesday morning due to the discovery of a suspicious object. Police confirmed that the object was harmless, and the station was reopened at 10 a.m., allowing trains to resume service.
Police spokesperson Timo Küfner announced that the station was safe after the identified object was deemed harmless. Trains were back in operation following the incident.
The explosion occurred in a passageway near the station at 3:15 a.m., resulting in minor injuries to a 17-year-old girl and an 18-year-old man, both Ukrainian citizens. A second suspicious object was later found at the main train station, prompting its closure at 8:30 a.m.
Explosives experts from the Bavarian state criminal police office were on-site investigating the incident. The motive behind the explosion is still under investigation.
The disruption in road traffic and public transportation around the station occurred during the early morning hours. Reports indicated that a hand grenade detonated in front of a jewelry store, with the train station not being the primary target.
Augsburg, a city in Bavaria with a population of 308,000, is located approximately 78 kilometers northwest of Munich. The incident follows Germany’s recent attribution of an attempted drone attack at Leipzig/Halle Airport to Russia, resulting in diplomatic measures against Moscow. Officials are concerned about Russia’s alleged disruptive activities aimed at destabilizing European countries.